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 also dress in whatever way they like.
( Acolytes ( ( ( can also ) ( dress ( in ( ( whatever way ) ( they like ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Acolytes)) (VP (MD can) (ADVP (RB also)) (VP (VB dress) (PP (IN in) (SBAR (WHADVP (WDT whatever) (NN way)) (S (NP (PRP they)) (VP (VBP like))))))) (. .)))