Yeah it sucks when you start showing and the reactions start happening. I'm about there too and my inate reaction would have been the same. Clam up and change the subject.
It's something you're going to have to face, esp. if you're going all the way to full-time. You might want to start working on your "coming out explanation" speech and rehearse it so that you can spit it out when confronted. You'll probably have to give it several times ("No, I'm not gay, I'm transgendered, blah blah blah", "No, I'm not gay, I'm transgendered, blah blah blah", "No, I'm not gay, I'm transgendered, blah blah blah" etc etc etc)