I'm not that different from your friend. I am in my fifties, married over thirty years to a mostly unsupportive woman. Only recently, she has slowly come to understand that my femme side is an inextricable part of me and has decided to commit to full acceptance. Before that, we still shared a bed, but I felt completely isolated. It was a lonely time indeed. What got me through that time was the ladies in the store where I bought my dresses, skirts, etc. Firstly, they gave first rate fashion advice, telling me immediately whether the outfit worked on me or not. I, of course, obliged them by trying on everything they showed me and buying a lot of clothes from them. But it was FUN! I always come in wearing a gorgeous outfit and a big, big smile, because for me, it feels like a two hour furlough from prison. We laugh, chat and hug like sisters and I feel normal for that brief time. That's the main thing. Like your friend, I have someone who treats me like a normal, healthy friend, not a freak. I don't know whether your friend wants more from you than that, but I feel pretty sure that the relationship you have now is critical to his emotional well being.
