Why is it "a load of crap" or "disgusting"? Guys do things to other guys to get on their nerves, rile them up, or "toughen" them up all the time. I have seen it so many times during my time in the Navy. Hazing has become against the rules because many take it too far and it becomes dangerous. Yet there is still hazing that is done. And even some of bootcamp is meant to "toughen" people up.
And the more a person feels that they will be made fun of for their prejudices, the more most of them will get over those prejudices. The rules will go only so far to force people to accept others and be tolerant. Peer pressure, when used correctly, is much better at getting people to accept others.
Not only did we have no instances of unwanted sexual advances of a gay guy on a straight guy, but we also had no instances of violence against a gay guy for being gay, despite having a dozen or more openly gay personnel in our department of at least 800 cycled through during my entire time on the ship. Much of the reason for this I contribute to the fact that anyone who expressed any intolerance openly toward gays learned really quick that the majority of the department had no problem with gay personnel. The majority of the department judged each person on their own actions, and not on their religious beliefs, race, sex, or sexuality. What was most important at the end of the day was that a person was pulling their own weight and doing their job.
rof
