[Mrs. Don-o]

"I suppose that to some extent, these instincts are correlated with traditional sex roles, but I don’t think so strongly that I’d make that a focus. I find in my family that everyone - boys and girls - wants to cuddle the babies and visit the elderly. (Cleaning up after the sick is not as popular.)"

Depends on what your traditional sex roles are!

Some societies' highest male exemplar is the samurai, others the pimp, others the Talmud scholar. I would love for my boys' highest exemplar to be their excellent father. (In fact, in discouraging moments ---sigh--- my main hope lies in that.) And above all, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Got me thinking now. Variety within sex roles. The Community of Saints.

[Tax-chick]

Depends on what your traditional sex roles are!

True. Your post #8 emphasized female nurturing, and unspecified features of "masculinity." I'm certainly not denying inborn differences between boys and girls - with three little boys in the house, I'm literally bombarded with inborn differences. (Also blocks, cars, Lego, shoes, and the occasional airborne brother.)

However, I think the qualities we're discussing come from a level of humanity more fundamental than sex differences. God created us male and female, but more basically, He created us in His image of life-giving love. Men and women (to generalize) manifest love in some distinctive ways, but the fountain of love, so to speak, is the same for both.