Could be a function of many thing, but I wonder if the whole trans thing has to do with the divorce.

It's possible Ellen's wife thought she was marrying a woman, and doesn't want to be married to a trans dude. Imagine if your wife announced one day she was trans and was going to become a dude. I imagine you would leave her, as well.

In general, this whole "Elliot" thing isn't being received well by the public, even among many on the left. Many quietly (or not so quietly) suspect this is attention whoring more than anything else.