I think men are currently teetering between the devil and the deep blue sea.
 
They are required to give their women absolute freedom to pursue their own careers, often are required to adopt a traditionally feminine domestic role (so their partners can exercise that freedom) and yet at the same time, they are the one's looked at when the wheels fall off.  Why did they not do enough to see the wheels did not fall off?
 
Put another way, they have all the responsibility and none (or very little) of the authority.
 
Now, I hasten to add that I am speaking from the perspective of a male who has absolute support for the emancipation of women.  I just mention that there needs to be a paradigm shift toward responsibility to match that of emancipation, that is to say, it is not just enough that women now have the freedom to do everything that men can do, but they must also assume all the same responsibilities that go with that role.  Put yet another way, life has to become a true partnership between men and women, in every sense of the word 'partnership', because I think that still has to happen.
 
As I write the above, it also occurs to me that there are plenty of women who have stepped into the breach(es) while their so-called strong males have let them down or been sidelined for reasons beyond their control, so I am not saying that there are no strong women out there, there are indeed many of them and doing splendidly, thank you very much, it is in the social attitudes that I see a need for a paradigm shift toward responsibility. 

Linda, I have to agree with John that gender relations are pretty much a train wreck. I also suppose that this is to be expected in times when everything seems to be running off the rails. Global warming, for example, has given the expression 'The sky's the limit' a whole new meaning. We are having to lower our expectations. Never fun, and foolishly sometimes, the sexes will tend to blame each other instead of pulling together. Disappointed notions about how much better things are going to be soon surface as blame on those to whom we are closest producing resentment and divorce, unparented children and all to often desperation.

Not much of an answer. I have to go now. I'll be interested in how this discussion develops.
Cheers, Tom 

Many men have a problem with sociability. It's not that men can't communicate or have meaningful friendships but we find it more difficult to express ourselves and to be open.

I'm not sure how much this is to do with male nature - and how much it is to do with upbringing. Men do seem to have a stronger sense of ego and hierarchy and this interferes with bonding and self-expression. This also makes us more competitive - most boys would much rather play football than sit around chatting.

Whilst schoolyard football made school bearable, it did little for my social skills. People say that females are more "bitchy" - but, often, this is simply a case of being more open about their feelings and not suppressing themselves. Men often have thoughts of frustration that they do not discuss - until it comes out in a moment of anger or rage.