I think you could also look at this from the view that God created men and women differently. We aren’t supposed to be the same. My first husband died several years ago and left me the single mother to a 3yr old little girl. Suddenly I had to be mother and father, nurterer and disciplinarian, primary earner and homemaker. I learned that I am capable of doing all of that but I would say that some felt more natural to me than others and that didn’t excel at all of them. I am now married to my second husband and soulmate. We have an awesome relationship and just naturally fell into the roles that we are best at. He is the primary earner, protector and handles the finances. I handle our home, the education and care of the three children, social calendar, holidays. That doesn’t mean I always cook- he likes to cook and we share that job. He helps with the house- cleaning and laundry. He also takes care of me and I do have some health issues. Just so you know if there is something we want to do or purchase we discuss it together and he figures out how much we have and how much we need- so the long term financial planning. It just works for us- we feel fulfilled and are able to be the person that we truly are meant to be.
Also men do endure hardship and pain. Right now I am seperated from my spouse for the next 6 months. He is sleeping on a cot at night in a tent with 20 other guys. Definitely doesn’t get to eat all the fun things we usually cook. Very little time off and long days. Away from the comfort of our home and family life. Missing many of the things that we take for granted everyday. All so that we can be safe here at home and pursue our lives and dreams. I admire and love him very much for what he is doing and am very proud of him.
I will agree that childbirth and menstration aren’t always fun. I get very nauseous and usually throw-up, bad headaches, bad cramps every month for about 5 days every month due to my period. For me childbirth was a blessing and a horrible experience. I spent the whole 7 months in the hospital with nausea and vomiting (ate through a tube in my arm), gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, pre-term labor starting at 24 weeks, MRSA pneumonia with collapsed lungs, and more. But at the same time had the joy and honor of bringing a beautiful baby girl into this world one day short of 32 weeks due to fetal distress through and emergency c-section. She went from this peanut shape on her first ultrasound to the perfectly formed baby with lots of hair and great sounding lungs! It was amazing! She would follow my hand when i moved it around my stomach. she would kick it also. she would hide from the monitor set up to record her heartrate and my contractions- to us she became a person before she was even born. And within 48 hours all of my pregnancy health related problems were gone. This is one of my greatest achievements and I had to go through alot to become a mom but she was so worth it. And guess what? Women are the only ones they get to experience this miraculous thing inside of them!
I do not think God intended men and women to be the same. We each have our own kernel of uniqueness.