What does being equal even mean?

This week we learned all about the differences of males and females and the roles that are associated with each gender. I learned that men and women have different gender roles that are expected, but people are trying to change these because they consider them to not be equal.

These quotes sums up my views of this controversial issue:

“Equality is all too often mistaken to mean that if two things are equal, they must be identical to each other.”

“Man and woman play equally powerful and equally important roles.”

(Valerie M. Hudson and Richard B. Miller, Ensign April 2013)

Men and women are biologically different, it’s a fact, we all learnt that in biology 101. Men are typically strong, want to protect, spatial oriented, aggressive, and like rules. Women are typically nurturing, relation oriented, attentive, enjoy communication, emotional and have personal relationships. I realize that many people will disagree and say that they have none of these traits, that is ok but what is not ok, is fighting against our natural instincts as a men or a women to prove a point. 

In my experience feminists are very unhappy, and the reason for this is that they are fighting something that is unnatural. Also most feminists are selective in their equal rights, for example they might want to be a fire fighter but still expect a man to ask them on a date and buy them flowers. Is this equal?! We need to acknowledge our gender difference and embrace them, don't blur them and confuse our children!

In a relationship we need balance, a husband and wife can't have the same characteristics otherwise they will drive each other insane. For example if I am emotion and upset and my husband reacted the same way we wouldn't get anywhere! I need that logical thinking that puts things in perspective for me, and he needs that emotional perspective that softens his understanding for certain situations. Husband and wife help each other out, we strengthen their admirable qualities and make up for their lack of qualities. A relationships needs unity and perfection, and the definition of perfection is to be whole, complete and fully developed. Notice how it didn't say have equal characteristics and be the same in every way?

One way that our differences make up a whole is women are generally less focused on everything, and men very focused on one specific thing. When this comes to children a mother can show love to all of her children at once but lack in the individual attention, where the father will make up for that. 

"Social science research supports the prophetic instruction that couples who have an equal partnership have happier relationships, more effective parenting practices, and better-functioning children."

(Valerie M. Hudson and Richard B. Miller, Ensign April 2013)

This article has many other great insights that are very beneficial to this topic! http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/04/equal-partnership-in-marriage