I think it depends on what kind of homophobia... Like, it might be strictly moral, but still a place where you're not legally persecuted. In most countries it's common to have clubs and other places specifically for gay men, which are much safer spaces than any app could be. That being a possibility, that's pretty much the best start.
But if it's not the case and the only way you have to get to meet gay people nearby is through dating apps, I think you should explore that. It might be much harder and frustrating than meeting people personally, but not impossible.
Gotta be really careful because homophobia is cultural, if it's a really homophobic coutry that behavior will also be noticeable in gay men, one of the benefits of dating apps is that people are much more honest about what they hate.
