I got a bit uneasy thinking about what did the actors think about doing the scenes but then again, I have these same thoughts when watching gay actors doing "straight" love scenes in movies; I don't mind seeing actual gay couples showing affection etc.

Not at all. The acting was really good and the scenes were part of the plot. It wasn't excessive or vulgar to me and I am a straight male.

I'm 20 years old. A heterosexual guy who loves women but I didn't find the scenes hard to watch. Were those enjoyable? No, but before watching the movie I knew there would be some scenes like that, I expected a lot worse.
I'll be back

I found gay love scenes uncomfortable to watch when I was younger, but not anymore. Probably a combination of being older, more relaxed and comfortable with my sexuality and more used to seeing that sort of thing in movies/on TV.
If you think old movies are boring or modern movies suck, you haven't seen enough of either.

I was a little bit taken aback, but yeah, it's just because we're not used to seeing it.
I think one of the most uncomfortable parts was the up-and-personal sound during these scenes which would have been the same if it was a straight couple. Call me crazy, but I always flinch when I can hear saliva-smacking kisses in movies.

Strangely, I had no problem with the male kissing scenes in this movie. I suppose, the scenes in this movie were just so tastefully staged. And I'm a heterosexual male (or so I thought).

painful is a bit of a strong word. I was uncomfortable the first time I saw it, but its a movie about gay rights, and if movies can have straight sex scenes then I think its only fair that gay sex scenes should exist too. Once I adjusted to it it didn't really bother me after a while.

I felt really uncomfortable. Seeing two guys going at it is vomit inducing
Then watch Cruising.

This message has been deleted.

Looking back I do realise my post was too rash. It was in reply to the previous poster's comment about how "vomit inducing" he found the love scenes, but you are right, it is his subjective opinion after all. I can't expect a hetero male to fully understand how it feels to hear/read things like that but I don't really mean to judge.
I actually thought the love scenes were tastefully done and all the actors were realistic and refreshingly game (Penn and Franco in particular).

Um. Cool it. We're just discussing very openly here. No bashing, no BS, no offence. In fact I think we're all very polite and nuanced. And also, guess what - we have the right to our opinions.
Interesting that a gay/bi-person like yourself, came to this board because of a film you probably admired for it's message of tolerance to all views. Yet you're the only one that's hateful and judgemental. And to top it all off, you probably see yourself as the righteous one here, the guardian of free speech etc.
Back on topic for us that are capable of being objective:
The love scenes made me (male, hetero) uncomfortable as well. Not that I could picture the film without them. It needed them to maintain the same excellent realism it featured in the other scenes.
I kept thinking how good actor Penn & co was, to be able to let go of their hetero sleves, and get 110% in to character.

Strictly hetero men are really abnoxious. I suppose you have no problem seeing two girls getting it on?

I felt really uncomfortable. Seeing two guys going at it is vomit inducing

I thought the "love scenes" were pretty tame compared to some other gay films.

While I am most certainly pro-gay even I felt a tad incomfortable with the love scenes not that there was anything offensive 'per se' about them. It's all to do with our upbringing and conditioning. Most of us are not used to anything other than male/female romance and that's pretty much it in a nutshell. That said, whoever may be offended then that's their problem.

They do take you back a bit, but as long as you know what the movie is about they shouldn't take you in the least by surprise. It's not gay porn.
And I actually thought them quite tastefully done.