Could it be that this was more an example of toxic masculinity than homophobia? Two young guys walking together at night needed to prove their straightness to one another and insure that you and your friends didn’t think they were “like you.” And, now that the right wing government has provided a permission structure for such hateful behavior, they felt obliged, maybe even pressured, to act accordingly. This demonstrates how influential hate speech from leaders can infect individuals and bring out their most despicable instincts.