Most of what you say has been my own experience here in the South. I've often commented that the lack of gay hate is why they're going after trans folks. Original plan ran out of steam.
Evil always does the ouroboros thing. :)
Yes, it takes time, and I know how frustrating that is to the young, but we've come a long way in a couple of decades.
Things will get worse, then get better, then worse again. This is merely human history.