Wish we could wave a magic wand...
I doubt any magic wand will solve this, and ALL of us are so with you on this since it is sooooo close to home! Since my wife and I found Tina together I'm on the other side of this coin. We were able to set the ground rules together and one of them was "she wanted her man when she wanted him".
I hear a lot of that from your wife in what you've said and I can't help but having the thought of retro-CDing! For those of us who never realized we had a feminine side and never had any overt feminine characteristics, consider how much time and effort we all put in to understanding how to be feminine when in drag. We study the walk, we study how to stand, how to sit, how to hold a purse, how to talk, how to deal with heels, how to do makeup and on and on and on.
Ok...you know how to do both very well from what I can tell. Is it maybe that your bride wants the "man" she thinks she married? Is that the crux of the issue? At least in public? Ah...yes...in public. So, if we can all learn how to be feminine when we want to, what if you are, in public, with your wife, masculine when she needs you? It might not take much and might make a massive difference to the point where she sees you trying for her and is then willing to talk about the rest. This might be the "meeting me half way" issue that you are just supposed to understand! Heck, maybe that's the issue too...you are so feminine, why don't you understand what you don't understand??? (I've always loved that bit of circular illogic!).
So, bottom line, play the man game in public with her...you might actually find it an interesting challenge and she might just appreciate your consideration!
no matter what, may the best be yours always.
tina