I bet you're all going to read this and think 'If only I had a dollar...' but I tried coming out online and someone who I would have thought was a good friend just assumed that it was a joke and when I said no he said he doesn't want to know me anymore. All my female friends have been totally supportive. I can't imagine nobody has suspected with the number of times I've dropped strong hints. It just seems odd that in today's world it's okay to be proud to be gay (as it absolutely should be) and yet being trans or a crossdresser is too much for people to accept. I would have thought by now that it was no big deal to wear whatever clothing I want to and identify with the female part of me. It seems not everyone views gender as a spectrum without polar extremes.
There has been a bit of a catalyst. My mum passed away on new year's day after a very long illness so I have been reassessing my priorities in life.