I don't think so necessarily, Stim. I think the surprise would quickly dissipate, however, after learning MS has been "born-again" for quite some time now, and after considering (as you pointed out after a fashion) that people may have been projecting some of their own values onto her earlier. Immediate surprise would be followed by a step back to see what was going on, rather than outrage...people getting "born again" seems to happen a lot in the old USA.

A "good Christian" woman, "church going"...perhaps even married to a man...might suddenly come out as gay. It would be a surprise, too, but I think I would rather quickly shrug my shoulders and think, "hmm, ok, that happens. Better not to make too big a deal of it."

The reaction seems to be more about how some of her audience feels than who MS is.

Let's be glad her beliefs don't seem to extend to any direct action or violence, but rather seem limited to her confession that she is trying to be honest.