Can gender roles be of equal value?

All I care about is that there are options as far as gender roles, if they suit you, take them, if they don't, leave them, if you have aspects of 'traditional' and 'modern' that both appeal to you, then integrate both.

I do think that even at this point, there is a higher value placed on working rather than 'looking after the kids', which is bizarre. The same people who will call a SAH-Parent lazy are the same people usually who will say that people don't take good enough care of their kids. Crazy stuff.

Too many value choice on the surface to keep up appearances, but their core beliefs are still very rigid.

Yes, they can. I live in a home where there are distinct - traditional - gender roles. Hubby goes to work every day and then comes home and relaxes as much as he can (well, and spends time with the kids, too!). I am a homemaker and I also homeschool our children. Two very different roles but both are vital and equally important. Without his hard work and the income he brings in we'd be screwed. Without me here looking after our kids and keeping us all fed and warm, we'd be screwed.

Equal doesn't always mean identical - and I'd say that traditional gender roles are equal in the way that counts the most: in worth.

I think they can be, but in modern society we value only making money. And it seems to be what most women want to do. So looking after children is only valued if you get paid for doing it. I don't personally think this matters much, as I don't care much what other women do so long as I can do what I like, and if other women want to go out to work rather than staying at home, I don't much care. I feel a bit sorry for the kids though.

No, the point is to recognize that gender roles need not apply to only one gender at a time. Looking after children is a very valuable thing to do, and nobody would ever deny that; those who don't want children just aren't cut out for that activity.

I don't think gender roles will ever be of equal value. The reason is simple: men and women are different. Obviously two things cannot be equal if they are already different. To try and make two things equal is like trying to take away one's individuality. Perhaps the only time gender roles will be equal is when people perceive them to be equal.

Separate-but-equal doesn't work - we have historical experience with the idea.

Enforced equal-but-different stereotyping REALLY doesn't work, particularly for those who don't fall into the stereotype. If I tell you that dark-eyed people work white-collar jobs and light-eyed people work blue-collar jobs, that doesn't really work for you if you're a dark-eyed person who values blue-collar labor, does it (even if the roles are 'equally respected')?

Fromafar...it's time to reel you in. Woman have been working for ages. June and Ward were fictional characters. Middle/lower class people have had to work to support their families.

P.S. Kids go to school. There's lots of jobs one can do while their kids are in school.

There is no such thing as a gender role. men and women both have hands for cooking, cleaning, working, etc...

I completely agree with Kinh