Australia

I almost feel the idea of being "emasculated" is a made up mislabeling of a feeling born of something else that's going on in the person's life.

I'm about as a heteronormative male as you'll find, but I can't say (in my adult life) I've ever felt negativity about the role I play in the house, family, etc, and I do a lot of the child raising, house work, etc.

The negative feelings I get are around not being "useful", or appreciated, or given the space to do the things I do to recharge.

To me, the whole point of having kids is to raise them, teach them, hang out with them, help them, enjoy their company, etc. if you just want to go to work to provide for them, I'm not entirely sure having kids was such a good idea. Kids need your love and attention, and they are only here because you brought them here.

Of course, I know some people have no choice, and that is sad. And sometimes you think you want one thing, and it doesn't feel right when you get there. But I'd hope neither of those things should get tied up in gender roles.

Maybe we just need some more openness about these things so we get some good role models, and reassurance we're doing the right thing?

Parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done, and it's very different person to person, family to family, and a far stretch from the fantasy that's shown on TV. Made harder by the way we've structured our societies.