This horrific case will never be forgotten, but the one thing that sticks with me is that his killers presented a defense of, "But he came onto me." I'm sure he didn't, but even if he did as that was somehow an excuse for violence of any type. And that reflects the attitude of many small town men and boys across the country for decades, that beating someone because they hit on you was totally justified. Even now you still hear men say, "I have no problem with gays, as long as they don't hit on me..." Like if someone of the same sex flirts with you it's license to get violent.
Totally comfortable with who I am, if a gay guy hits on me, first I am flattered and I'll thank them and not reciprocate, it's totally not even necessary for me to proclaim my straightness, I could care less if anyone things I am gay or not. If a guy is persistent and bothersome, I will then mention I am straight and happily married. But that's not how it always was, I remember in my youth (the 80s) being thought gay was a huge deal to most men I knew, if accused of being gay men would go to great lengths to prove their straightness and "manhood."