I came out to a co-worker and would like your opinion on her reaction.

While on break this afternoon, I came out to a co-worker. The conversation went like this:

*Me checking text messages on my phone.*

Her: "Texting your girlfriend, [Bobobob]?"

Me: "No. Don't have a girlfriend... and don't want one."

Her: "Why [don't you want to have a girlfriend]?"

Me: "I'd prefer to have a boyfriend."

Her: "I'm sorry."

*I continue to do things on my phone.*

I spent most of the remainder of the break sitting on the other end of the table from her without talking to her (which is the norm for me, since I'm very reserved).

I'm trying to figure out what she meant by "I'm sorry." Because this was this first time I voluntarily came out to a non-family member outside of a confidential context, I was very nervous when I said it, so I may have had a little emotion in my soft-spoken voice. I'm trying to figure out if she was apologizing for bringing up an emotional topic because she heard some emotion in my voice, apologizing for the fact that I'm gay, or meant something else. I suppose I could ask her what she meant the next time I work (on Monday), but based on what I've written, what do you think she meant?

 

Thanks for the replies.

I did not sense surprise in her voice (I was too nervous to look at her). As far as I can remember, it just sounded like her normal tone of voice.

I mainly came out in that situation to that because it seemed like a good opportunity to have a first non-confidential 'coming out' to someone outside of my immediate family. Do you think the way I came out was appropriate?

 

I fear that may be why she apologized, although I hope not because I don't think she did overstep any boundaries. Although I'm not in any sort of relationship (and don't plan to be for a while), I ideally wanted to gradually come out to people in ways in which they brought up the general subject, yet I come out to them without anyone feeling like there was any overstepping or that it was a big deal.