Final answer:
Gender roles are social constructs that vary by culture, hence they can't be assumed to be cross-cultural. European and Euro-American societies tend to have a rigid two-gender system, unlike many non-European societies that recognize multiple gender categories. The variance in cultural norms and practices concerning gender roles reflects the cultural diversity and complexity of these constructs.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing why we can't call any gender role cross-cultural, it is important to consider that gender categories are social constructions that vary across time and through space. Cultural anthropologist Serena Nanda highlights the existence of multiple gender roles in non-European cultures, which serve to accommodate the complexities of human sex, gender, and sexuality. On the other hand, European and Euro-American societies typically have a rigid binary gender system.
Additionally, the notion of gender and the associated roles and characteristics can differ significantly between different human societies. For example, the dress or skirt, which may be considered feminine in the United States, can be seen as masculine in other cultures based on how gender norms have been constructed locally.
Thus, due to varied cultural norms and practices, one cannot assume a gender role to be universally accepted or understood across cultures. In some societies, additional gender categories exist beyond the binary roles, and these roles are respected and integrated into the cultural fabric, contrary to the often binary perception in the West.