I wouldn't mind the clinches if some of them weren't so over the top. But I admit those covers with naked men and strategically arranged sheets do catch my attention. The over-reliance on them bothers me. It seems kinda lazy, like a factory approach to publishing. I don't blame the authors for this, though.
Stereotypes are complex, and there's usually some deeply ingrained unease or fear beneath it all.
In the case of dissing romances, I've always considered it just another shade of sexism. What interests women is too often perceived as less valuable than what interests men. But I rarely feel a need to make apologies or excuses for the genre anymore. I've always found loving to be an incredible act of faith. Love leaves spectacular wounds.