Have you ever talked to someone and said, "A female electrician was sent out to fix our power lines last night." You didn't say "electrician" and you probably would have never made reference to a "male electrician", but identifying a women specifically in a nontraditional occupation is common. The reverse is true, i.e., a "male nurse", a "male secretary", etc.
The use of "female" and "male" to indicate the gender of a worker may be why women don't usually consider occupations traditionally considered to be associated with males, however, the opportunities for living wages and a satisfying worklife are found by many women who pursue these career paths.
Here is a link to explore.
- State of California EDD page with additional links to resources: http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/article.asp?ARTICLEID=657&PAGEID=4...