I've just come back from a vacation in Asia.
I found it very interesting that in Bali -- a country that can be safely considered very traditional complete with a strict seperation of men and women's occupations -- women work. Even in their traditional marriages women work.
In fact there are avenues of commerce restricted solely to women so they can provide for their families. And another interesting observation is that men in these traditional families seem far more involved in the raising of children. Men there have a casual competence with children I rarely see in the west.
I suppose this supports the conclusion that, traditionally, men worked, women worked and both were providers and caretakers for children.
Oh and women are the majority of workers on road and western-style construction crews. Weird place, no?