Of course you can. I've done the same (in the opposite direction), sporting a visible five o'clock shadow and no makeup (too poor). What has changed since then? Well, I wear make-up and kind of cover the beard shadow, and I still expect people to gender me correctly and correct them when they don't.
Most of the time no explanation is needed, everything is clear enough. When it is needed, when I've felt the person wouldn't understand transsexuality I've said I have a hormonal and/or genetic disorder (which the way I see transsexuality is true, it's the physical part that's wrong, not the mind), and that has been it. Maybe that would work for you. Probably even better than for me. I think people have an easier time getting a non-passing male, since a lack of facial hair and delicate features are characteristics of pre puberty cis males as well. You've said you don't look like a typical female, so I'm assuming the rest of the body is not an issue.