Are gay couples generally safe?

Hey, so I moved in with a friend of mine a few months ago, and now I live here. I'm a man in my early 20s, and my boyfriend (also early 20s) is gonna be taking a vacation here to visit me this summer.

I'm not super involved with anything outside the house so I don't have a good feel for the community in the area yet. I'm wondering just how careful we have to be about not seeming gay- I know Florida overall is pretty unsafe for such things but I'm wondering if that's true locally as well. I didn't grow up in Florida but I am from the South myself (rural Georgia specifically) so I'm pretty nervous about these things- he's from a progressive area of the Midwest so he's more used to it being safe.

So, how worried do we have to be about harassment/assault? Should we just go full "straight bros" mode? Or could we hold hands, or snuggle up on a bench, maybe even kiss? Is it even safe to be overheard saying things that're a bit too romantic?

I hope this question isn't too heavy. But I don't wanna put us in danger by being too affectionate while I take him out places.