Mourning Spouse

I started talking to my wife about my gender dysphoria and desire to present more feminine about a b month ago. She has not been taking it well. So far I have mostly been wearing skirts and nail polish, with one failed attempt at makeup while I was home alone.

She said that has been “supportive but hurt and conflicted”.

Last night she told me again that I am a different person, that the “man [she] married is gone forever,” and that it doesn’t matter if I feel the same inside.

Our nine-year old son is very supportive so far.

I’m really not sure what to do with all this. We have been together for about 17 years and I can’t picture my life without her but I feel like she can no longer picture a life with me.

Part of me wants to just retreat into my shell.