Yes, it’s no “big deal” being gay but coming out IS a big deal – your friends form a picture of you based on your past behaviour and if you suddenly come out (and it is sudden, to them at least) then you break the picture that they have built of you over so long.
Because the person themselves has spent quite possibly all their life secretly dealing with their sexuality they think people will be able to deal with it straight away – they won’t. They need a bit of time to rebuild the picture. Elaine might be trying to do this now…
I think what I’m trying to say (badly) is that I’m sure Elaine would be totally cool with someone she has always known to be gay. A person she always thought to be straight “turning” gay, however, is weird.
I know I certainly freaked out most of my friends but people who have only ever known me post the big day don’t really think about it.
(Reasonable punctuation but utter rambling tosh)
Rachel