But I also knew a boy from rural Texas who was regularly harassed and beaten growing up because he wore athletic clothes (Adidas track suits) instead of cowboy boots and 10-gallon hats.

It is a big country, which is the point of the retelling. (Not intending to throw shade on Texas)

Anecdote: I visited the US last year and happened to be invited by a friend to a climbing gym in the bay area. Said friend wore a shirt that was pink/purple. I was there for two hours or so.

In this time he got two comments about the color, jokingly painting a picture of him as being gay.

I once overheard an American (M, 30s) visiting Europe commenting on European men wearing coloured trousers (red, orange, turquoise, etc).

You’ll also find colours of outdoor clothing in the US to be more muted, or the overly garish ones in fewer numbers.

On that note, men in tights without over-shorts is increasingly common in my parts of Europe. And nobody here gives me shit for wearing pink.