I think the only way to "step in it" would be to lose your temper. Of course, in truth, losing your temper would mean nothing at all, where the facts are concerned; emotions have nothing to do with facts. But because some people (and by that I mean, the people who have, for whatever reason, a vested interest in keeping the public ignorant of the existence of the BF) have no facts on their side, they must leverage whatever they can. They desperately hope that by "leveraging" emotion -- and by exploiting the apparent human fear of isolation, which is so great that people will sacrifice their own integrity to avoid experiencing it -- they can fool others into believing in a falsehood.
As long as you don't cave to anger (like I sometimes do), you will be untouchable, because the facts will speak for themselves. As awful as people can be, it is very, very hard to justify opposition to any one person's search for truth.
I am not saying that anybody involved in this particular conversation is knowingly manipulating others; but if they are not considering how what they believe to be their "authentic" responses (their "authentic" disgust; their "authentic" scorn) are feeding into a bigger plan, they are not paying attention. They are asleep. And sleeping people do not good research fellows make.
So I guess what I'm saying, hiflier, is that, from where I sit, you're in good shape. You have been unfailingly polite in response to all the negative things pushed your way. I am in awe of that, and again, really excited -- because that is the only way forward. That is the only way to be, and the only thing to do, if you want to explore the truth and rest well at night.