I grew up during communism in Romania. I did the army right after the communism went down and there weren't any gays that i knew in he army where i served. At least we didn't know about it, as most likely they were afraid to even try anything. The whole society was very hompophobic back then. Anyone trying a move on another guy in the army, would have most likely end up beat up by the whole platoon.
My first contact with the "modern society"

was when working on cruise ships. Oh what a shock.

That was my "crash course" on "Modern society with all it's feedoms".
There were lots of gay of all kinds on the ships. Working and living with homosexuals was at first shocking, then funny and with time it became just normal. Later I even shared a cabin with a gay guy for a few weeks. It didn't bother me at all. We knew and respected eachothers sexual orientations and it didn't bother me at all.
There was a lot of fun working with some of the more flamboyant gay guys. You come with a big tray of food for your customers from the kitchen and you see this crazy little guy in front of you, pretend he droped a dish on the floor and instantly bends over "trying to pick it up" right in fron't of you knowing you have the arms bussy.

It was all in the name of fun of course. Most people were very cool and with time it all worked out just fine. If a gay guy is hitting on you, it's enough to tell them you are interested in fish not cheese.

Some did try very hard to look and be "different".
Louis C.K. has a funy one about that.
I don't dare posting it tho.