What's the difference between want and being?

Well, you could also ask: how can you want something if you don't already know what it is? It sounds like a problem of semantics. If you 'want' something without knowing what it is, there are different words for it like desire and curiosity.

But want is a bit vague. Want to have? Want to own? Want to be? The last one doesn't even make sense unless I think of it as an idea or a plan that's already seeded in my mind. But how did it get there?

 

Well, I want to be female-bodied. That doesn't make me less female, because I also need to be female-bodied, to be happy. And to stop my dysphoria. For me it's a duality, and that doesn't make my gender identity less valid. And it shouldn't make yours less valid either.

 

I struggled with this question very much in the early months of my questioning, and I still struggle with it today.

I think, if you want to be perceived as male, you probably are at least a bit of male. Although, I weighed several other options as well, to be sure. Did I want a flat chest? Did I want male genitals? Did I want male pronouns? And such. I felt like breaking everything going into "being male" into smaller pieces made it easier to come to a conclusion on. And also, think about whether you'd be happier with all the changes, in the long run, not just the short run. If you are, chances are it's not some kind of phase, or "just want without being."

 

I second this. I want to be male-bodied, and it would bring me happiness to kick my dysphoria to the curb.

 

There is a difference between wanting to be male (or female) and wanting to be perceived as such, which is what makes your question not line up right. I want to be perceived as male because I AM male, yet because I don't look male people don't see me as who I am. That's a valid want and is completely separate from what I know I am.

However, I know what you're trying to ask and it's such an impossible question because there is no way to know and understand what if feels like to be trans without going through it. Even if it takes a long time to know, we just know. It's an innate thing.

 

I want to eat because I am hungry. :icon_wink

 

People don't always want to eat because they are hungry. Sometimes they are bored, stress, depressed, craving something due to hormones or vitamin problems.

I for one want to be male because I know[\i] that I am not female and do not wish to be seen as one, but I don't know if I am male either.
I do know that I want a note masculine. I know that I have wanted to be male most of my life but never wanted to be female.
The things we want say a lot about who we are.

People can want to be a lot of things but they will never be those things if they do not take to steps to become those things.

And some people want to be things they already are because they don't realize, yet, that they are that thing. Want and being can get.mixed together at times

 

I don't think there's much of a difference between "want" or "being" in this case. Either term expresses a critical desire.

I think it's more important to ask yourself, is this desire critical to your well-being? That's the core issue.