the phrase “you don’t need dysphoria to be trans” is intentionally a little off from the truth. Trans-ness is basically defined by gender dysphoria, but because you live your whole life with dysphoria, it can be extremely difficult to separate/understand that what you believe is part of normal being is actually dysphoria.

Damn, this is a good way to put it. "You don't need dysphoria to be trans" never quite made sense to me.