I am the mother of 4 grown sons. Over the years I have observed many parenting styles. In my opinion boys need a strong male role model and a strong female role model in order to define themselves. It is not helpful to blur the lines between the genders.
It is a very nice thought to think that children will be better citizens if they are not stereotyped but it just doesn't work that way. If a child does not 'fit in' they will be teased and bullied on the playground. This is an unfortunate fact. Children that have a strong self identity and are self assured have a much easier time growing up.
This is not to say that children should not be offered all types of toys to 'make believe' with. They want to experiment with all sorts of things. My youngest son wanted a doll when he was 3. At first I was horrified until I realized he just wanted something to care for. I bought him a boy doll called 'My Little Buddy". If I had bought him a 'princess type doll' he would have been teased and I did not want him to go through that. He eventually grew tired of the doll.
As parents we should be careful about our own perceptions and stay away from experimenting with our childrens lives. They, in the end must survive in the real world and we need to give them the tools to do so.
Boys are boys and girls are girls. They will all learn to be caring, kind, respectful and law abiding by the examples that we as parents set. If we help them to know who they are and how they fit in the world they will have a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is so very important for their self image and confidence. If they feel they belong they blossom. Having one foot in the female pie and one in the male pie does not work when they are little. They cannot develop a strong self image this way.
As children grow up they evolve and find the place that they fit best. When they are young they need a structured and consistent 'place' in which to develop. Soon enough they will be teenagers and they themselves will try to push the boundaries of convention. Let children be children whether boys or girls.