Generally, women still produce as much or more of the household's food than males. In part because exogamy keeps the women together and farms out the males. Among the HOPI, women have great sexual freedom after puberty, and great control over the selection of their marriage partner. Increased stratification is typically seen in patrilineal, virilocal societies. It often occurs when agricultural land is scarce, warfare is common and male kin are kept together for defence of the settlement.
Increased stratification is more common because of a marked domestic-public dichotomy.
Public offices may be held by hereditary male chiefs and his male assistants. Thus women have less economic power and may be isolated within patrilineal societies or bilateral societies with neolocal residence patterns. Exceptions include the Soviet Union where the socialist government made efforts to reduce differences in gender roles, and the late 20th century U.S. where complex technologies combined with effective political-action have reduced barriers that previously restricted women's participation at all economic and political levels. Perhaps one of the clearest cases that illustrate that gender is a cultural construction involves gender crossing and gender blending among 19th century Plains Indian Tribes such as the Sioux, Crow and Blackfoot. The Plains Indians had clearly differentiated gender roles.