Ok, first up I'll say I'm in the UK, so things may be different elsewhere. That I accept. But to answer my own questions: You know what, I don't think they do. The world has moved on. Being Trans or out and dressed these days is not unusal, it's part of the new normal. You don't have to pass, being able to blend is good enough. Dress appropriately for where you are, don't push bounaries that CIS women can't pass, treat people with respect, in fact, just be a normal girl about town and country and you'll be fine. You'll be surprised, there's nowhere you can't go and nothing that you can't do. You don't have to confine yourself to the LGBT quarter and gay bars and clubs, they of course have their place mind. I know that I'm lucky with my SO, my family, friends and work, and that's to my good. I know other people struggle and don't have a SO that is accepting, that's bad and it's hard and I feel for everyone in that position. But, for those who want to get out, for those who can get out, then do. Just do it, go out in the world, the real world, the normal world and you'll be surprised as to how quickly you feel comfortable, how normally people treat you and what a wonderful feeling of liberation that it gives. They say every journey starts with a single step which may be true for the rest of the world but for us, the hardest part, our first step is to get over the 6 inches inside our own heads that stops us from acting.
