Most of the damage from sex isn't objective, as in, this is an inherent quality of sex. Most of the damage is from contradictions and inconsistencies in the societal psychological framework and the instinctual psychological framework of it. Much of the damage is guilt/shame based (which springs from said "puritanical roots", and unwanted/early pregnancy or STD's, which springs from ignorance and improper education (from parents, not schools).
I use to agree, but the more experience I have (not personal, but with others) the more I am forced to reject this stance. The problem with over sexualization isn't even the sex itself, it's the gluttony behind it. It's the lack of personal responsibility. It's the belief that it's okay to put your penis in anything, okay to drink yourself stupid every night, to live your life high all the time. I am not against any of these acts, far from it - but there is a point where it becomes detrimental to an individual's character.
Its also FAR from an outdated cliche. It still affects the way many americans view things. Old habits die hard. Its OK to show torture and murder every night, but show a nipple on a halftime show and half the country loses its mind. Its apparent in the country every day. We can love us some old testament violence, but S-E-X or even non sexual nudity?? Awww hell no, thats some evil ****. It brings about a passion thats NOT bloodlust.
Well, everybody is different. What's too sexualized for one person is not a big deal to another. Some people get emotionally tangled regarding sex, other's don't. But it's hard to say the notion that our puritanical ideals are outdated when people get upset over a wardrobe malfunction or the "hot coffee" hack from Grand Theft Auto.
The controversy around a boob popping out of a Super Bowl half time show, an event watched by all sorts of demographics who have no interest in that, is perfectly fine and rational. Now certain groups took it too far, but since when did a small but vocal interest group represent society?
The same can be said for "hot coffee". Society didn't care. The majority of Americans have no idea what "hot coffee" is. Certain vocal groups did.