here's my take on the whole gender/role confusion:
My ex tried to be the "man" of the house, but I think there is something innate in women that makes them "automatically" also want to be the "woman" in a relationship.
When women either try to force themselves into, or are forced by their spouse into more of a masculine role in the household, it sets up an internal conflict.
In the beginning, she wanted to prove that she was a rock-solid woman that could wear the pants if she wanted to. Soon after the birth of our son however, her female instincts finally won, and she didnt have a choice anymore but to acknowledge her urge to be nurturing and caring...the more "typical" role of women in a marriage.
Women are seen by most men to be "soft" and "caring". Trust me, its NOT a bad thing, in fact, quite the opposite. Personally, I am very much attracted to women that are cuddly and emotionally available. It's part of what makes a woman a woman. Men don't like to admit it, but there is a part of us that envies a woman's ability to be "soft and mushy" openly, because that's what we want, too. We WANT to be able to express our love for our partner openly and often in a mushy way without risking diminishing our manly appearances.
It's a game of expectations. Women EXPECT men to be hard and stable...we;re not supposed to cry at funerals or when we see a sad movie. Men expect women to cry at movies like Forrest Gump, etc.
There are exceptions to the rule however. I personally think the sexiest thing a woman can wear is a nice summer sun-dress (preferably country yellow). Some men want nasty black lace corsages with garter belts. To each his (or her) own.
I just wish for once, instead of automatically expecting something from someone, we can all learn to just accept one another at face value....while still retaining the qualities that make us attractive to the opposite sex.