Is it really about the orientation?

From the sounds of it, it seems like the lesbian couple only attacked your orientation because they were already arguing with you and you were an easy target in that regard. I mean, they did try to make amends with you (although you're right to rebuff them, as I recall you saying they had abused your trust several times before.) If they really hated your orientation, they probably would not have hung out with you to begin with. As for Merin, that just sounds like plain old jealousy. I think at heart a lot of antiness is really attributable to something else. For the record, I've had good luck with lesbians myself, but then the lesbians who live in small towns are probably different from those in cities because they are much rarer here, and, I think, more modest and friendly because of it.