Like a man's power, a woman's power is influenced by such factors as her culture, age, income, and education. In Nigeria, for example, Yoruba women who have many children, especially sons, have more say than their husbands about whether or not they will have more children. Type of marriage also can affect a woman's power. A woman's power to make decisions sometimes increases with her level of education and also with her husband's level of education. It may also depend on her age.
Gender roles begin at birth and span a lifetime.
Almost universally, adolescent males experience more sexual freedom than adolescent females. Potentially harmful sexual attitudes and behavior that can develop during youth are often difficult to change during adulthood. Because gender lies at the heart of social organization and the distribution of power, calls for changes in gender roles, and hence behavior, often touch emotional and political nerves.