Final answer:
The dominant culture's values depict clear distinctions and expectations for male and female traits, influencing gender roles and occupational sorting in society. While biological aspects are constant, gender expressions and the associated power dynamics vary between cultures and are enacted through everyday practices and institutional norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The dominant culture significantly influences the extent to which male or female traits are valued and revealed in society. In most human societies, certain biological traits such as menstruation and lactation are unique to females. However, characteristics associated with gender, which are socially constructed roles, behaviors, and activities, can vary tremendously across different cultures. For instance, clothing that is deemed feminine in one culture may be masculine in another, such as the wearing of skirts or robes.
Cultural perceptions of masculinity and femininity are deeply embedded in institutions and are often reflected through occupational roles. Such occupational sorting sees men and women channeled into professions that are stereotypically associated with their gender based on cultural traditions. In the U.S., for example, men often dominate fields like law enforcement and politics, while women are more prevalent in care-related occupations, even though their choice may not always reflect personal preference, but rather societal pressure and expectations.
These societal expectations begin early in life, with socialization practices such as dressing male infants in blue and females in pink. Despite progress in challenging traditional gender roles and gender inequality, the effects of male dominance are still prevalent in many aspects of society. Gender not only creates a system of differences between female and male but also dictates a power dynamic between them. Understanding the cultural constructions of gender helps to reveal the deep-seated norms that influence both individual behaviors and broader societal norms.