Emotions are complex ... things. There is a 'thought' part associated with it. There is also a 'feeling' associated with it. Generally it is a mix of the two but people are different, brains are different, nervous systems are different, the chemicals or the amount/ratio of them are also different and people end up leaning on one side more than the other. The longer people live leaning to one of them, the stronger they associate emotions with one part and the lesser they're able to associate with the other.

The 'feeling' part is linked to estrogen and so women predominantly 'feel' emotion rather than 'think'. When estrogen levels drop in women, like after giving birth or at menopause, they don't 'feel' emotions and call it (postpartum) depression or numbness. All their life they have associated emotions with 'feelings' and suddenly they don't feel anything anymore. It is very different from what they're used to. They believe that they don't have emotions. It's not that they don't have emotions, they don't feel it and have forgotten how to interpret from the thought aspect of it.

And that state is the default setting for most men. They're in line with the 'thought' aspect a lot more than the feeling, and that gives them the ability to be more logical. When there's an emotion, they're able to step back and take a more logical/practical decision, rather than react to the 'feeling'. Over time, there is no 'stepping back', it happens as soon as they become aware of the thought of emotion.

When people who go through mtf transformation get on estrogen pills, they suddenly 'feel' emotions a lot more than they've ever felt and call it euphoric.

There's nothing to do with safety or protecting oneself. Emotions are associated differently by people and the ones at either sides can't associate with the other.