Thanks for asking and engaging in writing and seeking to learn about this complex topic....

These are generalizations, but here is a quick summary:

Most trans woman identify as women, and have deeply felt that way their whole lives.

Autogynephilic trans woman such as myself have a tendency to start as cross dressers, more as an erotic activity, because it sexually excites them. Many eventually start to identity as a woman. In my case I didn't identify as a women, but I also didn't identify with being a typical man so becoming a woman was a way to express my feminine side more.

This is a Medium post I wrote about it. You can see in the comments how several trans women wanted to barbecue me for suggesting that Autogynephila is a valid subgroup within the trans community and is often misunderstood:

https://medium.com/@mariakonner/not-all-trans-women-are-the-same-e-g-autogynephilia-e9fc3f32a223