Age of Innocence, Winesburg, and A dolls house synopsis

In each of the stories that we have read so far the theme of gender roles have played a persistent role . My views on gender roles are actually very confusing, at least they confuse me.  I do not think men or women have any more or less capability than one another to succeed more, I do believe men are born to be physically stronger than women... I do believe women are more fit to nurture children, I do think men are better at most sports, I do think that women are generally more intelligent. Assumptions like these may mean nothing to impassive people but to people that are very opinionated  they may undeniably agree or completely disagree. This is why the concept of gender roles have become so interesting to me, since there is so much controversy over it, its almost dangerous to have an opinion that isn't of the majority. 

I believe gender roles (to some extent) are true. Yet I clarify, to some extent... I full hardheadedly believe that women should nurture... I believe this merely through experience. In Sophmore year I  underwent a radical change which every highschool relationship must go through, a breakup. The girl and I had been dating for a while and it was the first real breakup I had ever had. I talked to both my father and mother about it and their views on the matter were radically different. My father said to have a day of getting over it and then to "cut the crap" and move on with life. Tough love as I would like to call it. Yet this isn't what I needed, my mother became the person who would comfort me during the difficult time, she sat with me everyday and talked to me about how to handle the situation and how in the grand scheme of things it didnt matter. She was able to listen for hours about what I had to say and she would selflessly give advice... she taught me compassion. 

My dad taught me how to be a man, from the beginning of my life Rugby was a huge theme in our relationship. He knew that Rugby would toughen me up and teach me the value of hard work so he trained me hard in it, and although at times I didn't enjoy it and became extremely angered with my father I knew that on game days things would be different and it would count for something. 

The two situations above just kind of exemplify how each gender is better at different things... such as men and their succeeding in teaching hardness or work or determination but lacking in things such as compassion elegance and delicacy