October 18th

This week we learned about gender roles and same-sex attraction. The proclamation to the family says, "Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal and eternal identity and purpose." Our gender is important and provides a purpose and a role for us. I think that it is important as husband and wives, and families that we share one another's burdens. However, our gender provides us with a role. Women are to nurture and strengthen their children and to help them grow in the gospel. The men's role is to protect, provide, and preside. I think that these gender roles are complimentary and help us to become better. When we have a companion with different strengths we are able to grow and expand the areas of our strengths as we have the opportunity to learn from them. I think that being able to be a mother and fulfill the nurturing role is both a blessing and a privilege that should be respected rather than taken for granted. I think our roles are important because they help us to see things from a different perspective which can benefit us all as we grow together and learn from each other's differences.

When we talked about same-sex attraction I found it was interesting that many men who felt that they were same-sex attracted really wanted to have a wife and children and to be a father but they felt like they couldn't do that and that they weren't eligible to do those things. When they were able to talk about their issues they were able to learn that it was all a matter of misunderstanding, and that they could still have all those things and do all those things. Personally I think it is sad to see all guys who have feminist traits get labeled as gay. I think that a lot of women like seeing guys that are sensitive, expressive of their emotions, creative, and good communicators. I think that it would be a sad thing to take away the chance for a woman to have that kind of guy just because he was always pressured to be and labeled as gay. I also thought that it was interesting in homosexual relationships that most of them took on heterosexual roles. Generally one partner would take on the more effeminate role and the other would take on more of an emasculate role. No matter what sexuality we may be we all seem to strive to have both of the gender roles in our relationships.