Random strangers judgement is like... I should care why? I mean as long as they're not presenting a danger to you, who cares what they think?
Certainly that's always been my attitude growing up.
I used to dress up in silly costumes and go out shopping lol, just because it cheered me up to be a pirate or a zombie or something instead of ME. (I used to claim it was because I was eccentric but looking back honestly, I suspect this is another way my dysphoria manifested, being someone ELSE helped)
And yeah, i used to get STARED at. Some people would smile, which was always nice, others would be wierd or yell stuff and i'd just smile at them. Ultimately, it was THEIR problem, not mine.
I went through a goth phase, I went through a "wear a different ridiculous hat every day" phase. I did not dress normally throughout my university life at all. I had a lot of fun with crazy clothes and insane makeup (more I used to draw patterns on my face because I actually suck at proper makeup hahaha)
And I think that's really helped my ability to handle judgement in transition. I fostered a real "screw everyone" attitude in my teens and early adulthood which helped kill that self conciousness when it wasn't a costume anymore and was something far more personal and genuine (being the real ME)
The first time I went out presenting more male, with unshaved legs and letting my natural body hair grow I was slightly nervous but once I realised people didn't notice I found myself feeling SO confident about it. The liberation is just... incredible.
In my mind, the only people who's acceptance matters is my loved ones. My parents, my sister, my husband and children. Friends, well, i'd LIKE them to accept me but if they don't i'll find new friends, friends who aren't horrible people.
Random lady serving me coffee? Don't care.
Random guy on bus? screw em.
I mean sure there are times when it becomes tricky, but that's more because someone's being actively hostile rather than just giving you a funny look.
the funny looks kind of amuse me.
the hostility though, that will always effect me. It's hard to handle people being aggressive even when you don't think they're a physical threat.
Recently I had a guy start getting really verbally agressive with me on a bus and it was quite upsetting.
but then I also had a guy hiss at me as I walked past and I laughed because omg what the hell man? Who hisses at someone!? what a loser. I mean genuinely, WHO HISSES!?? hahahah, so wierd.
You are perfectly right, why SHOULD we care what strangers think of us? they don't matter. Ultimately they just don't matter.
Screw em, basically.
Stay strong, you're doing great! and I hope you're right, that one day we will just be another face in the crowd and not a novelty or whatever. That'd be wonderful.