Growing up gay since I was a wee lad, and coming out in the 1980s…. I can tell you for a fact that the view of many in the US towards gays has been more accepting.
Of course as recently as 2014 gay people were more likely than any other minority group to be a victim of a hate crime.
But when you look worldwide things look even more pessimistic.
Same-sex sexual activity is a crime in 70 countries. Some of them, including six nations that are members of the United Nations, impose the death penalty. Another five make such punishment technically possible, even though it is rarely enforced. In 26 other countries, the maximum penalty is prison with terms varying anywhere from a few years to life imprisonment
There are still 13 countries in the world where being gay is akin to a death sentence.
Those countries?
Yemen
Iran
Brunei
Mauritania
Nigeria
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Afghanistan.
Somalia
Sudan
United Arab Emirates
Pakistan
I have included Brunei which has now issued a moratorium on their policies of killing but it is still not clear which direction Brunei will eventually turn.
So even though things might appear better lets always be vigilant and do our best to combat the hate and homophobia that exists here in the United States and in the rest of the world.