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Now, I'm defining "aggression" relatively broadly, here. It very much includes physicality like pushing, hitting, and rough-housing in youth, but also things like loudness, competitiveness, and bossiness/assertiveness. What happens to trans boys who express aggression?
Although trans boys may also experience child abuse, most often the response isn't to hit a trans boy for hitting.
What I've observed, in my own life and in observing others, is an exaggerated concern. "Ohhhh NO. We don't hit our friends. We LOVE our friends. We hug our friends. Go hug your friend. Go show your friend what a nice girl you are who never hits."
While a cis boy who hits more often gets a sharp "No hitting!" the trans boy gets a drawn out feminine morality play, then (often) coerced into participating in it. Exaggerated emotional concern is first shown, then drawn out of the child before he can continue playing.
What you begin to feel, when you're subjected to this day in and day out, is that you're a monster. You could easily hurt others and have to be very careful at all times.
My family was particularly extreme in this regard. My sister and I weren't allowed ANY roughhousing. My fondest memories are of my friend Chris, a cis boy 9 months older than me, and an occasional elbow fight or splash fight where I could just let go and try to destroy him.
Chris prevailed easily 90% of the time- the kid was a year ahead of me in school and significantly stronger- but I loved the feeling that I couldn't hurt him, or if I did it was fair game.
I didn't have that in any other relationship. So my personality was shaped by this feeling of holding back lest I hurt someone and be a monster.
I'm curious about other trans men's (and transmascs') experiences! Does this feeling of femininity being used to suppress your natural aggression ring a bell? I'll RT interesting replies bc it's a topic I don't hear discussed often.
In talking about aggression being suppressed by oppressive femininity, I don't mean to suggest that femininity is generally speaking bad, or that aggression is generally speaking good. Far from it! But there are always tradeoffs, aren't there?
On thing you lose if you're constantly pushed to show gentleness and empathy whenever you show the lease bit of physical aggression is just- fun! Roughhousing can be a TON of fun.
But, you may also lose your sense of boundaries. You may be stunted in your ability to stand up for yourself. You may be pushed to put others' needs before yours to a pathological degree.
You may shy away from competition, so concerned about being kind and good that you never get to experience the thrill of mastery and success.
You may struggle, in adulthood, to get back those things- fun, playfulness, good boundaries, and healthy competition. These are part the spice of life, and we lose them when we tone aggression down too harshly or universally.
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