A boy hurtling through puberty tends to be somewhat vicious and woefully indelicate. In fact, he has an extraordinary ability to pounce on a classmate’s specific vulnerability. It’s as if he can sniff out insecurities and weaknesses in the same way a lion can zero in on a wounded gazelle.
If, for example, a classmate has a problem with stuttering, a pubescent male wastes no time in calling him or her out. Sometimes the mockery is not so subtle. Sometimes the ridicule takes the form of disparaging nicknames, mean-spirited rhymes, or nuanced gossip. Of course, it’s not just about students with speech impediments. It’s about the fat kids, geeky kids or outsider kids. It should come as no surprise that a boy with fleshy breasts is particularly enticing for anyone who has a fondness for ridicule or bullying.
I was one of those boys with the perky titties. I was the perfect target for mockery and name calling. A hormonal condition known as gynecomastia led to the formation of perfectly rounded, fleshy breasts. Quite frankly, mine were the envy of some of the girls who feared that they would never achieve such curves. But my breasts were ample and they were altogether feminine. They were also impossible to conceal. Oh I tried.
Secretly, the development of breasts thrilled me. Their appearance confirmed my belief that i was truly identified incorrectly on my birth certificate. But I was also a realist–I knew that my titties would elicit a great deal of teasing and hazing. My only option was to withdraw and cover up. Shirts versus skins basketball games were my greatest threat. Invariably, I would be assigned to the no-shirts squad and found myself running up and down the court, breasts bouncing, and having to endure taunts of, “hey, it’s mama tits!’
Grades 6-8 were my versions of hell. So many times I wanted to just die. No more bullies. No more ridicule. No more humiliation.
But the immature rejection by my classmates would take on a much more sinister tone as I entered my Freshman year in High School. My physical appearance would lead to a violent, sexual encounter…
…more to come.
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