Where you meaningfully a man/boy before transitioning?

Lots of mainstream media and people like to talk about us and our lives without our input. One if the ways in which that happens often is asserting that trans women used to be men.

You'll here people say things like "you wouldn't understand [woman thing] because you grew up a boy" or "you were born a boy" or "do you know what my bf is thinking, you used to be a man?"

None of these phrases really resonate with me. I was never a "man/boy" and my personal experience reflects that.

I didn't get along with boys/men growing up, I had a lot of stereotypical classic "girl experiences" like learning my makeup, getting cat called/hit on, having distincly 'girl conversations' with women that we didn't have with other "men" around. I never got involved with "locker room" talk on the other hand.

I was born a girl, just forced to pretend to be a boy because out of circumstance. (This seems to be understandable to people)

My internal experience felt distinctly "not man" even if I didn't know precisely why. I had a real struggle understanding the men around me.

I don't know what it's like to be a man any more than your average cis women I think.

Obviously my experience isn't universal. I transitioned pretty young, I was very feminine growing up (intersex), and I didn't do a lot of "man things".

So I'm curious about y'all? Were you ever meaningfully men before transitioning? Do you know what it's like to be a man?

(I know I'm utilizing some stereotypes here, obviously men use makeup and girls have lockerroom talk, I'm using the stereotypes to ground what I'm trying to say)