This. 100% this. Everyone's experience is different, based on a whole shitload of factors. I'd also add one more, specifically for the '90s: sexuality. If you were queer in the '90s, you were automatically more of a target in many areas of the USA.
Your experience with "liking anime" = "social stigma" is going to be heavily influenced by demographic information. 1. Where did you live 2. How much money did your family have 3. Race 4. Gender 5. Neurotypical or not (and seriously, this one is huge) 6. Conservative/progressive area