I largely agree with this, laws are second to the real-feel of how people are on the ground, though they can relate to one another. Where I used to live, it was legal to discriminate against trans people regarding housing and so on, but where I live now, I know it’s illegal and the culture is different here as well. I’m not in the biggest city area, and it’s still much better - so sometimes better laws do track better culture, too.

Either way, yes - laws won’t really protect you, they just might protect you in certain legal matters and give you recourse for justice if you are wronged (in some places).