Reskin and Padavic, Chapter 1 Work and Gender Work underpins all human activity. Before industrialization, work was life. To justify unequal treatment of the sexes, their differences must appear large and important. C. Social Construction of Gender A taboo against the sameness of the sexes creates gender. Societies and people use reward and punishment to get people to conform with cultural definitions.
All societies do it.
Which sex performs which tasks differs over time and across countries. Change occurs slowly. Within a country at any time, either sex may do a job. Changes occur slowly. For every example of a rigid sexual division of labor, there is one which is blurred.