I agree with George: I, too “am curious that in a town of thousands there are no gay or lesbian characters.” Specifically, in a village of 3000 I would expect about 150 to 300, and by 2000 C.E. I would expect at least some of them to be out of the closet (the social milieu of Germany in 163x may have persuaded them to reenter the closet, which could be a story in itself). Mary Simpson, being a UU, would be likely to have an enlightened view on the subject, and of course the 250 crowd surely would not.