>I'm only speaking from my own perspective, and I realize it's
>not prudent to make blanket statements on either side of the
>argument as it does nothing for the problem itself.
>Also, and I realize I'm probably alone with this one, but I
>try to stay away from the term "homophobia" considering it's
>literal translation is "irrational fear of men."

'homophobia' is irrational fear of gays or homosexuality and it includes fear of being thought of as gay. and so if men avoid platonic touch (like caressing and cuddling and such) b/c they don't want to be thought of as gay that would mean homophobia prevents men from engaging in platonic touch.

But at the
>same time I realize that there is a very palpable fear amongst
>some heterosexual men of being engaged by homosexual men

right. being engaged by gays and also being mistaken as gay. that's homophobia at work.

, and
>how that may play into sociological aspects of child rearing.

which is the author's point on that issue. that this part of child rearing results in men who struggle to manage their feelings and who may be starved for platonic intimacy w/their ppl b/c of how they were raised as boys and due to the ongoing fear of being mistaken for gay.

>It's my normal tendency to look inside things, not at them, so
>it's easier for me to see a situation from different angles.

sure.