Hmm... I think it's not strictly tougher or easier. Sure, you have the option of making a complete transition and achieving unity of body and soul, but it's a rocky path and can still result in trouble post-transition. And for people like me, it's sometimes difficult to tread the middle road because the polarized groups will want you to choose one side, but there isn't as much dissonance having to live as a male or female, because you partially identify with that role.
My ideal state would probably be one of full androgyny, so I can express one gender or the other, or neither at all, depending on how I feel at the time. I'm not really masculine in looks, but i'm a little more masculine than I prefer.