two cents from someone who's been there...
I posted before about my transition back in the early 80's so I won't go into it. I never really considered myself a "non-Op" transexual...heck...I didn't even consider myself a TS of any kind. I did it because I when I grew breasts and with an already feminine appearance it was easier to present (and live) as a female than as a male with breasts (ok...so I wanted to as well but for the moment we won't go there). 2nd class citizen?...only in employment. In the 80's the "glass ceiling" was as hard as rock. There were jobs that women could (can) do but weren't open to them and if they finally got into them they were paid less just because. I guess you had to consider part of your pay as the privilege of getting to do a job normally reserved for a man. Oh..and you had to do the job twice as good just to keep it.
Outside of work?...2nd class?...you kiddin me?...how many men open doors for other men? how many men pull out chairs for men? how many men go out of their way to help other men change a tire, or anything else for that matter? Outside of the workplace, we (women) have been treated as royalty. How can that be "2nd class"? Personally, I enjoyed greatly my time as a woman. It was a wonderful experience and made my post transition life as an employing male a much more sensitive to the needs and attitudes of the women that worked for me. As a working male I brought my experience into the workplace and did what I could to remove the glass ceiling. The best "person" for the job got it.
People decide to change/alter their body (up to and including sex) for all kinds of reasons. The key to the decision is not in proving to someone else its whats best for them, but the real purpose of the Standards of Care are to make sure you prove to yourself its what you want beyond a Shadow of a doubt as its not exactly easy to reverse your decision.

Jenn