It can't possibly be that certain needs and desires are hardwired, its always society, peer groups, etc. with you people. You believe in evolution yet somehow believe evolution has not shaped modern man and woman. Do you think that natural selection would not select for a female brain that, to various degrees, desired to have children and subsequently a long-term mate to help raise those children?
But the defining and 'great' quality of the human race is their adaptability. Such situations in the past demanded that the female stay home to care for the child and the man gather resources, so we adapted to those functions. Now those roles are not necessary for survival in major Countries like the US, Canada or Britain(this is the last time I AM EVER CALLING CANADA A COUNTRY!). Predefined and strict roles are not a forerunner to survival. It just was that way for so long, that it became indoctrined into our cultures and society, but it is an outdated idea that not only isn't needed, but is quite possibley harmful.
There was a thread on this forum awhile ago about Maslow's pryamid, and I think it applies here. The female and male gender roles were adequate for a long time, but they worked at the low to midrange of Maslow's pryamid of self efficacy. Now we have more convienences and flexibility. In our western world, every day is not a struggle to survive. We can afford to not reproduce, not go hunting and gathering, and not be trapped within roles. Since we've fulfilled our basic needs, we naturally go to a higher need of self fullfilment. This is where gender roles become hamrful, because the roles themselves are like mental prisons that interlock together. We want to be more, we want to be many things more, but the roles say we can just be "this" and "this".
Of course, we are inclined to procreate the species, but we're not in harm of lack of survival and we are different in that we know that. So I do not think the woman looking to have babies and have a man provide is natural to us, I think it is a role we adapted to for a long time but is now not needed and unhealthy. We must adapt again.
(sorry babbling post)
edit: I see this thread has already been going over the whole male role female role thing.
