"Smalltown Boy" seems like a message from a darker era

The BRONSKI BEAT smash hit "SMALLTOWN BOY" is playing on the CHRIS EVANS BREAKFAST SHOW on BBC RADIO 2 as I type this sentence.
I remember it for the striking video, featuring vocalist JIMMY SOMERVILLE trying to connect with men at a swimming pool, only to be attacked later by an anti-homosexual gang.
The music video's subject matter was fresh at the time -- these tales weren't told often on American television in the early 1980s.
Now, television programs routinely feature homosexual characters. I know homophobic attacks persist in our society, but there are stronger laws against them now, and a raised awareness of the problem.
"Smalltown Boy," although a beautiful song, seems like a reminder of a darker era.