Are you seriously comparing Maplethorpe to this passage by Webb???
Maplethorpe was a prima facie deviant. Webb included a brief passage of an ACTUAL CUSTOM to color his story and give it realism. THAT is what any half-decent writer would do.
And you're right, you probably wouldn't think of me as a "real conservative" since I tend to look a little more deeply at a subject before I form an opinion.
I'm comparing judging Mapplethorpe, and judging Webb, by their art.
It would make no sense to compare the work of one artist to another artist. I'm not surprised that's over the head of a "real conservative" like you BTW.
I feel sorry for you. Art must be very dull for you since you think it inappropriate to contemplate the reasons for what the artist does.