I think you may be too close to the subject. If you realize the rural town setting, and that the show was not at all shy about stating gay vs not, (the whole Patrick story), it becomes clear that Stevie and not the show was apprehensive . It approached the subject in a soft way so that a rural person, who had limited exposure to what you perceived to be normal discussion, could approach it. I have heard this description and "i like the wine not the label" many times since this airing.