Just a guess, but I think it is technically easier to alter male genitals, and create something that looks a little like female genitals, then the other way around -- create male genitals from what? Also, there are economic considerations, men tend to earn more than women: the procedure, if done "properly," involves years of psychotherapy, hormone drugs and surgery -- expensive!

I agree with peter b, but also I think society tolerates less ambiguity in people with male genitalia than female, which may put more pressure on M2F transexuals to go through the complete change. Using men's bathrooms for example is more difficult for a male who identifies/dresses as a female. I don't think however, that using a women's bathroom, or dressing as a man, is as difficult for a woman who identifies as a man,as it's considered OK for a woman to wear a man's clothing nowadays.

Simple. There are more men who want to be women than the other way around. As a rule, female to male transvestites tend to be more comfortable how they are than male to female. There is also the matter of income, that men tend to make more money than women, and those operations are'nt cheap.

...another consideration could also be just the mere fact of what is "commonly known" I think that if one really knew, there could be just as many f to m as m to f. I think in most respects, it is easier, in the physical sense, to transition from f to m, and can be done with less "attention". The m to f seems to get in the "spotlight" more. Just a thought.

That's easy. Being a man has become something to be ashamed of. You're automatically considered a rapist just because you have a penis. Also,women may be allowed to wear pants without criticism but men can't wear dresses and go unnoticed the same way. Also,what man can deny that women look better? Sometimes MtF transexuals look younger than biological women their same age. I think the most obvious of all answers though is that having an overabundance of testosterone really ruins your life. Taking estrogen can lower sex drive significantly. I speak from personal experience on this!

I know this is old but it happens to be the exact question I was discussing with some transgendered friends not so long ago. My theory is that a transgendered woman, who is born male, has no choice but to either go ahead with full transition, or be ridiculed in society, because men who dress as or pass as women are in general not accepted. On the other hand, women who dress as or pass as men are much more socially acceptable, so for a transman (man born female) there's less pressure and requirement to go through what amounts to years of hormone therapy and a series of painful and inadequate surgery. Its much easier for a woman to appear male and be comfortable without hormones or surgery. So I think there are a lot more transmen who just simply don't bother, and are content with just being "butch". Edited to add - once a transman has been on hormone therapy for a year or so, there's no way you can tell he's not born male without looking in his pants. So any number of the men you see in the street could have been born female. But with transwomen, it's much harder for them to hide their original gender, so maybe they're just more noticeable.