Insofar as it means  attendant,  an acolyte can be either a man or a woman.
( ( Insofar ( as ( it ( means attendant ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( an acolyte ) ( ( can ( be ( either ( ( ( a man ) or ) ( a woman ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (SBAR (RB Insofar) (IN as) (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ means) (ADJP (JJ attendant))))) (, ,) (NP (DT an) (NN acolyte)) (VP (MD can) (VP (VB be) (NP (CC either) (NP (DT a) (NN man)) (CC or) (NP (DT a) (NN woman))))) (. .)))
Acolytes can be of either gender.
( Acolytes ( ( can ( be ( of ( either gender ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Acolytes)) (VP (MD can) (VP (VB be) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT either) (NN gender))))) (. .)))