Identity drives

The phrases by gender variant people of "I am a woman" or "I want to express myself like a woman" are different and yet they are drawn from the same wellspring which says that birth sex shouldn't govern how one leads their lives. 

Ideally both statements should be borne of out of a sense of identity meaning that it is identity which governs expression and not the other way around. Thinking that because I dress a certain way it determines my identity is thinking backwards. 

A person who bends gender norms can count that as part of their identity and be happy with it especially if they are devoid of distress and it brings them joy. 

Once transgender people deal with their dysphoria they can also lead happy and productive lives as they have addressed an issue which impeded their full identity from flourishing. 

Thinking that expression drives identity can lead to where Ray Williams went which was regret although thankfully it didn't lead to any irreversible surgeries.

In the end we should want to be open and authentic which is a huge part of what identity is.