It's not my intention to imply that we should forgo gender as a cultural construct, just that the question 'who are healthy male role models' doesn't necessarily have to be answered with 'a good male'
I think it's far more realistic than implying that there are set behaviors and talents that are intrinsically male or female when that is obviously not true. And, could conceivably be more harmful than good for the young people who grow to fall short of those behaviors and talents without appreciating the positive characteristics they exhibit that are not gender-based. Being a man or a woman in the 21st century, particularly in western societies, is not as significant a difference as it used to be. In fact, I can't think of a single gender-based characteristic that I haven't seen at some time being exhibited by perfectly good role-model type people of both sexes.
What I do think is important is that children have relationships with good people of both sexes.
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Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus
PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce
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