this is talking about the life of barzakh - no one knows its reality. All the righteous people are alive in barzakh life and their souls are inside birds flying in Jannah. Check tafsir ibn Kathir for details. Allahu A’lam
this is the communication style of Arabic language. Most of the times when the Qur’an or the ahadith address men, they are addressing both genders. Allahu A’lam