what does scout mean when she says i know now what he (atticus) was trying to do but atticus was only a man. it takes a woman to do that kind of work? in to kill a mocking bird

While this sounds like Scout is making a generalization regarding gender roles, it seems more likely that she is marking a key distinction between the attitudes of Aunt Alexandra and her father, respectively. While the latter is concerned with Scout's development as a person who can recognize right from wrong and courage from cowardice, Aunt Alexandra is more interested in Scout's development as a southern lady.