Culture, and by the way languages, has a great deal to do with the scripture and beliefs of every religion of the world. The window as to how people believe is moat definitely through the window of culture, which includes many of the differences between religions.
Culture and language is half the battle. By English definition of Prophets, Prophethood didn't end, and can't. Sarah was a Prophetess by English language for example.
Nabi does not equate to Prophet really even though it's very close to the word Hebrew Navi, and seems to be the same. Nabi means one who received a tiding/news/information.
A Messenger means one with delivers a message
Resalah didn't end after Mohammad (s), and the Mahdi (a) is a Rasool. What ended was Nubuwa which means receiving divine revelation for humanity from God by a person who is sent with that.
Both Nubuwa and Resalah are things sent by God with his chosen ones, Nubuwa being God's own revelation and Resalah being the task of the Messenger.
Almost all Messengers were Nabis and all Nabis were Messengers. The exception happens when it's better to not reveal a text that won't be upheld and would become a source of discord - this is the cases of Non-Nabi Messenger. The other exception is a Nabi that is not a Messenger, and this is a rare case, where the people spread the message, keep it intact, and God graces them further with revelation but there is no need to revive or deliver the clear message because the message is there.
Also, in general God sends men only, but Sarah, Mariam, Fatima, they too were leaders who guide by God's command and delivered the message of God. What this really means though is almost all the members of the houses God permitted to be risen, those exalted families, are men. But women were sent by God in those divinely chosen families. In other words, "We did not send but males/men who we revealed to..." is general description of the family of the reminder forms, they are mostly men. For example, the Ahlulbayt of Moses and Aaron had two women part of it even though Elizabeth was super pious and all mothers of chosen ones are pious, it's the two named Mariam, Moses' and Aaron's sister and as well the mother of Jesus, who were of that family.
What they weren't however were complete leaders to humanity only in the sense they weren't meant to lead militarily and govern.
However, their political commands and leadership was to be obeyed. Fatima (a) for example, revived the message during Imam Ali (a) time and made clear what would almost be forgotten by the people and neglected. See her famous long speech about Fadak and reflect over it with Quran. Should be an eye opener.
They too have authority except are not meant to be looked to for governance. This purely due to mililitary and harsh nature of political leadership is best suited in a male, and nothing with men being better then women or anything in that regard.
Rather, Quran shows men have with regards to women, stage to reach to, without treating them well, will not reach, and are to be moral supports rising women up but the Quran never made the claim vice versa and all it tasked women with his safeguarding the secrets that God safeguarded (ie. not to spread gossip about your husband).
Quran said "nor is it permissble to be harsh to them" yet people justify the worse evils by the worse translation.
In a Sunni hadith, the Wasiya (dying will) of the Prophet was regards to three things:
(1) Quran (which we mistranslate and corrupted the light of it)
(2) The Ahlulbayt (which we abandoned to this day)
(3) Women (which we oppressed and mistranslated their rights to, and attributed some bad stuff to God's religion pertaining to them).