You don’t see it, do you? Your argument is that it is ok for someone that perceives themselves as less powerful to lash out at those they perceive as more powerful. That’s what your argument about power imbalance and “punching up and down” is about.

Now turn the table around and realise that your argument assumes the receiving party has no feelings about the situation. Or that they themselves see themselves as subjectively superior and don’t have to, or has the ability to, care. It objectifies the other party. The very thing you object about happening to you. And in the process you’ve alienated them and made it a self fulfilling prophecy.

When my boys were small they had constant fights, both of them “getting even” for some perceived slight or injustice, without realising that by doing so they became the perpetrator continuing the cycle.

People with both short hair and long hair feel unsafe. Both skinny, muscly and fat people have body insecurities. And people with watches are jealous at other people with watches. There is no imbalance of power that justifies for any of them to go after the other with neither fists nor words. Doing so is starting a conflict where before there were none.