This is probably one of the best articles I've ever gotten to read on Counterpunch.
It describes several avenues that people have been restricted from changing themselves, at basically every layer people can reshape their identities from (individual, moral, and functional), as well as why the restricting the ability for people to change is such a powerful tool of fascism.
I recommend reading it if you're interested in seeing how forcing people to exist inside of cookie cutter boxes is yet another tactic of authoritarianism.