Gender Stereotypes

When reading The Social Construction of Gender I was shocked at how real the actual "social constructions" of gender really are. Though gender stereotypes seem as though they are very obvious, it still shocks me at why they are still so prevalent. If people are so aware of what the gender stereotypes are and what the flaws of gender "segregation" are, why hasn't there been a change?
I feel as though, though there are those gender activists who fight for gender equality, there are still those who sit around and wait for a change and let themselves get subjected by gender inequality. For example, in Judith Lorber's The Social Construction of Gender when she uses the example of women in India not being credited for the amount of hard work it takes for harvesting rice.
Large issues like that one are really problems so large I don't see why they aren't being treated with more attention.
Lorber's first example of kid X really demonstrated that it IS possible for there to be a change. I think her purpose of using X was really a microcosm to show that gender inequality isn't something that is a permanent cause, but a small trend that just needs to be altered.

I also personally found Lorber's use of Fathers taking on a maternal role really highlighted that although it seems as though women are the only ones being socially categorized, really, men are being socially categorized as well and that it isn't societies norm to see a father taking care of his child in public.

I found an interesting article online about Talcott Peasons a well known sociologist who created "the Parsons model" which was used to illustrate the different extreme gender roles.
http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/gender-role/talcott-parsons-views-of-gender-roles.html