Well, from what I noticed if you were in the 50 and 60's era and probably into the 70's era, people don't understand or very accepting someone who is different, in religion or gender. It is not what we grew up with. In the time of the homo-fear, with very little information about AIDS, and not understanding gay folks in general, we didn't want it to happen and the people around us would label them as "sinners". Well, look at this way, we are all sinners, anyway so what's one more sin to fit in the big pot of sin?! As time went on, AIDS and homo fears lessen and I am sure around the late 90 into the 2000 era, people are beginning to understand that AIDS is NOT a gay disease to begin with, nor catch AIDS by shaking an infected person. You certainly can get AIDS from other sources but gay folks that died from it, probably didn't understand what's going on, already infected by other means besides sex, medicine has come a long ways and we are still learning about it just as much as myscular dysophy, another fatal slow dying disease.
With technology played a role, seeing it on the news, movies, changes in religion, different ways of lifestyles, we have become more accepting toward the gay people. I think the gay community is a bit more discreet than the heter couple can suck their heads off in public while gays don't do it too often or simple affection as in hand holdings, hugging each other but not in all out affections. More and more of them come out of the closet, expressing their preference of sex or gender. We see that often and slowly we are more accepting than we have been in the 80's. MYOB seems to be in the back of our heads as well, "It's their life, they will have to deal with it themselves and I don't have to live it like they do if I don't want to." kind of attitude.
Some of my family members loathe gays, nor want to socialize with them. I pity them. Believe it or not, they will be around.
