If your friends aren't going to change their opinion then I would suggest that you need to move away from them. It's not their position to insist on your sexuality, and deny you your own thoughts and feelings.

Anyway after 10 years of it, I funnily enough haven't become gay 'yet', despite other people's insistence.

My close friends have, over time, changed their minds, realizing that it's "just the way I am". I never put up a fight to them or anyone else, because it seemed to make things worse.

Eventually, they will get it. Don't justify yourself to your friends, just be yourself.

Thanks, I'm relieved to hear that I'm not completely alone in this sort of experience. But, in the real world, the plot thickened today. I received an email from my company's HR / Shrink guy. (Two of the friends I previously mentioned are also co-workers.) It was nondescript, but it suggested to me that he would be available to talk, and all sorts of different resources for me. I set up some time on Monday to talk to him, and try to find out what this is about, though it seems clear this is about my apparent "coming out."

I want to be clear, I consider myself a straight ally, and I've taken that position seriously since a girl I had a crush on in high school came out to me (that was... well disappointing, but certainly enlightening.) I was born male, identify as male, and I'm straight, I'm not asexual or bisexual or covering some non-socio hegemonic sexual attraction. Is it wrong of me to not want the D, when my community tells me that I apparently should?

>Is it wrong of me to not want the D, when my community tells me that I apparently should?

It's not wrong of you, it's wrong of the community to force you. If the community tells you that you should jump off a cliff, are you wrong for not doing it?