I literally sat alone for most of 8th grade. I went to that school system two more years after that, and still heard stuff whispered behind my back. I can have half a sense of humor over it now, but it all makes me angry as well. I'd rather laugh than have rage about it all. The next school, I didn't tell anyone. Of course, this also meant that I didn't sleep with a woman until I was out of high school - oddly enough, it was girl I knew from school. I knew of a school official that didn't want gay teachers because he blamed a teacher for "making his son gay". I know this sort of thinking still goes around today. I can only imagine what folks in the 50's, 60's, and 70's went through.

It was weirdly easier being in a mixed "race" relationship back then. I got harassed by cops at times, slurs when out in public, and remember churches stating it was against god. But at least everyone didn't avoid me.

It was pretty normal to be minimally ignored and still find that I'm cautious of who I tell - women sometimes avoid me and men will sometimes make me an object. I truly think gay men have it worse simply because men are more likely to get beaten up by some groups. I think that it sometimes depends on where folks live as well on the severity of it all now.

Edit: I just came back to say thank you so much for asking about it :)

I was out for a walk recently and overheard a group of kids talking, and the f word was present. Not only are things bad, the next generation seems to be the same.

And that's with me being white and having the ability to pass as an ordinary dude most of the time. Trans women (especially of color) die every day, and that's just the ones who get reported on. Just as many get treated as "brawls gone wrong" or "tragic suicides" because their family didn't accept them and give correct information in the obituary.

There are more cisgender and heterosexual people willing to stand up against it, but that mainly helps when it comes to policy. It doesn't help much with the day to day for most.

edit: I do appreciate you asking. Way too many people assume things are fine now because there's gay people on TV, or some other arbitrary metric. There's still a long way to go.