Younger people like yourself seem to have a hard time understanding how things used to be in countries where homosexuality was a crime and being out could land you in prison. You keep saying Tolkien “had to know” certain writers were gay. No, he didn’t, not unless they told him. Being British, he’d have been even more likely to keep any suspicions to himself.

I was born in the 1950’s in New York to college educated parents, and although I was familiar with the work of many gay artists and writers, it wasn’t until the 1970s and 1980s before I was aware those famous folks were gay. The bulk of Liberace’s fans were little old ladies who died hoping he’d meet the right girl one day. Many, many people had no idea homosexual relationships existed.

I’m sure Tolkien was aware homosexual activity existed. In the British public schools it was fairly common among boys most of whom would grown up to live as straight men. As an academic, he would have been familiar with the sexual habits of the ancient Greeks. He may have been aware some of these people were gay, but it was not a label people attached to themselves unless forced to do so.

The polite attitude, which I would argue is still the best policy today, is to refrain from making assumptions about anyone’s sexuality. Unless you’re looking for a date, it’s not something you need to know.