It seems I think the 90s was way less extreme (on the bad side) than you do

You mean the decade don't ask don't tell was put into place because a gay sailor was stomped to death by his co-worker? Or the decade that consistently allowed men to get away with torture and murder because the victim was gay?

Star Trek was also way less extreme than you do (on the progressive side).

I never claimed it was extremely progressive, I just said that any form of representation is important when there hasn't ever been any.

To be honest, you’ve made it sound like the 90s America was pretty much like Saudi Arabia

I'm guessing you never lived in the American south? It's nice that you grew up in a liberal oasis, but Ive seen friends completely disowned by their families for their sexuality. I've had friends beaten to an inch of their life after being outed, and that happened in the 00s.

Your experience is not universal, or even that common.

Star Trek as depicted was the full realization of Gene Roddenberry’s post-race free love communist utopia

The only thing I've done is state that the first non salacity lesbian kiss to be broadcasted on public television was significant.

I’d even argue that there’s a lot more anti-gay sentiment and hostility around now than there was in the 90s.

That may be the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. Gay people literally have the right to get married now. Don't ask don't tell is no longer a policy of the US military. The aids crisis isn't pouring fuel on the fire of bigots.

Do you not remember Queer Nation having to be formed in a response to increase violence against the community? Or the fact that the expansion of sexual orientation to hate crimes was in response to the rise in crimes against the LGBT community in the 90s?

There's been a rise in antitrans sentiment, but even in conservative spaces there's more acceptance for traditional gay relationships.