Just some thoughts.

I was thinking just now about experiences that non-trans people have that they could think about to help them understand what it's like to be trans— things that aren't the same, but could lead people to a better understanding, and I thought of this:

Plenty of non-trans women are mistaken for men sometimes. For some of them, it pushes them to change things about their presentation so as to appear more unambiguously female. Others don't change their presentation but may feel like there is something wrong with the people who see them as male. People who make such a mistake might be sexist, or narrow minded, or near-sighted, or just not on top of things, for instance. Well, one difference between this experience and that of a trans guy who is seen as a woman is that I can't think there's something wrong with other people, although I try sometimes. No, it is absolutely "something wrong" with me, that I don't look male. And if it makes me uncomfortable because it happens persistently enough, or because of the way people treat me when I'm perceived as female, or because my internal identity is demanding some kind of expression, I've got no choice but to make some kind of change in my presentation. My identity is not legitimized by external cues, and this places stress on me. It also puts the ball in my court to do something about it.