General Discussion

Beacool

(30,521 posts)

56. I feel sad for your daughter.

Sun Apr 7, 2013, 12:02 AM

Apr 2013

What happened for her to feel that she's not as bright as men? I was raised by a fierce mother who would have told your daughter that the contrary is true. LOL!!!

I don't think that intelligence is gender based. There are very smart and very dumb people of both genders.

There are so many bright women in history and currently. There's a trove of biographies to choose from.

When I saw "The Help" I memorized Abilene's words to every child she cared for: “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” What a great lesson to impart to every child, they are important, they have value, they are smart.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

89 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I haven't been able to shake the feeling I got when my daughter said "I think men are smarter than [View all] rainy Apr 2013 OP

niyad has posted tons of info on amazing women here: polly7 Apr 2013 #1

Before overreacting........it might actually be accurate. TimberValley Apr 2013 #2

My understanding is that there are more men at both extremes of the IQ spectrum. winter is coming Apr 2013 #3

Pure anecdote, but something I noticed years ago teaching large college classes petronius Apr 2013 #35

I remember discussing this when I was in college starroute Apr 2013 #40

"Hypergamy" is probably the term you're looking for. n/t alp227 Apr 2013 #65

It seems to me that in our Western culture, most women have always expected to "marry up" and raccoon Apr 2013 #72

I have never felt myself intellectually inferior to men BainsBane Apr 2013 #69

About IQ's I did google and found that women rainy Apr 2013 #4

"Men" or "women" don't have a collective IQ YoungDemCA Apr 2013 #8

I agree with you. It does colossal harm to do that to groups. it's diminishing. rainy Apr 2013 #17

Give me a fucking break BainsBane Apr 2013 #27

Are you serious????????????? Beacool Apr 2013 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author Squinch Apr 2013 #74

This from the same poster who told us we shouldn't depend on Squinch Apr 2013 #75

Welcome to DU ~ TimberValley In_The_Wind Apr 2013 #84

I have a 7 yr old granddaughter. southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #5

I've been pounding similar ideas into my two daughter's heads Victor_c3 Apr 2013 #67

Excellent comments. You know I have a younger sister who was a perfectionist. She became southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #87

What's ironic is that my son told me the exact opposite! mainer Apr 2013 #6

I think it was college. She was surrounded by very bright men. rainy Apr 2013 #10

If someone had said, "I think women are smarter than men," would you have been floored? TimberValley Apr 2013 #7

Nope ha ha ha. I have always thought and said that rainy Apr 2013 #11

A few good films that TCM shows from time-to-time regarding awesome women Tx4obama Apr 2013 #9

thanks! rainy Apr 2013 #12

She'll be a happier kid if she learns to not compare herself to others, but instead pursue her own bettyellen Apr 2013 #13

I think it's pretty normal to idealize the opposite sex a little ... dawg Apr 2013 #14

I don't think so and there is this; Dyedinthewoolliberal Apr 2013 #15

Sounds like there are multiple issues here. winter is coming Apr 2013 #16

Very wise words and you are so right. rainy Apr 2013 #21

Men may have more tendency to discuss abstract subjects starroute Apr 2013 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author nenagh Apr 2013 #58

Here is a good resource: demmiblue Apr 2013 #18

well, you could direct her to the women's rights and issues forum (under gender and orientation) niyad Apr 2013 #19

not all women love shoes. My daughter does. I don't. We're all individuals. liberal_at_heart Apr 2013 #20

Thanks, that's what I was looking for recommendations for reading:) rainy Apr 2013 #22

Harry Belafonte Disagrees. Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #23

Ada Lovelace - founder of modern computing RainDog Apr 2013 #24

�milie du Ch�telet RainDog Apr 2013 #25

Barbara McClintock RainDog Apr 2013 #26

Here's something you can say to her that she will understand. pnwmom Apr 2013 #28

Elinor Ostrom RainDog Apr 2013 #29

The best advice I can give is to do your best to encourage individualism, period. Warren DeMontague Apr 2013 #30

Lynn Margulis RainDog Apr 2013 #31

A hero of mine. Bonobo Apr 2013 #41

Richard Dawkins thinks so too RainDog Apr 2013 #44

Thanks for sharing that, Raindog. Bonobo Apr 2013 #49

it seems like a lot of the most interesting work in the sciences lately RainDog Apr 2013 #51

Yeah, the examples of this interdependence among trees/plants is even more amazing. Bonobo Apr 2013 #53

I welcome my bacterial overlords... RainDog Apr 2013 #89

ask her why she thinks so. HiPointDem Apr 2013 #32

Did you try to find out where/how your Daughter came up with that ? JI7 Apr 2013 #33

She probably heard it from some little boy mercymechap Apr 2013 #61

Those shoes remind of Chinese foot-binding! treestar Apr 2013 #34

Kick for later...nt Mnemosyne Apr 2013 #36

Little while back my daughter told me boys are stinky girls are better.. snooper2 Apr 2013 #37

You should start by having her read... ljm2002 Apr 2013 #38

Mismeasure of Man has been widely criticized, however, alp227 Apr 2013 #66

Speaking of comedies, I don't remember seeing any women LuvNewcastle Apr 2013 #71

I'm reading all your posts and rainy Apr 2013 #39

Rosalind Franklin RainDog Apr 2013 #43

Virginia Woolf: Shakespeare's Sister RainDog Apr 2013 #47

Hmmm. You're not saying you equate nail polish with low intelligence? Honeycombe8 Apr 2013 #45

Preach. I paint my nails because it's fun and it relaxes me. I made Dean's list. Butterbean Apr 2013 #52

You do know that my post was saying what your post says, right? Honeycombe8 Apr 2013 #57

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. I was agreeing with you and giving my own Butterbean Apr 2013 #77

Thank you. mercymechap Apr 2013 #62

Look up Max Dashu. She writes about the forgotten histories of women. nolabear Apr 2013 #46

I hear you Skittles Apr 2013 #48

This message was self-deleted by its author nenagh Apr 2013 #50

Please just slow down, set aside a couple of hours and start that time by asking your bluestate10 Apr 2013 #55

I feel sad for your daughter. Beacool Apr 2013 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author nenagh Apr 2013 #59

To be honest, savebigbird Apr 2013 #60

You will not find the answer here LittleBlue Apr 2013 #63

I read this book "Delusions of Gender" a couple years back. alp227 Apr 2013 #64

^^^ I also strongly recommend this book ^^^ MadrasT Apr 2013 #76

I'm a chemist and my boss is a women (she is a chemist too) Victor_c3 Apr 2013 #68

Luckily, I had a father in the picture when I tried to pull that shit as a child. smirkymonkey Apr 2013 #70

I'd suggest teaching her about the difference between statistical and absolute claims. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2013 #73

Sounds like its a commentary on her peers, not some grand statement on IQ and gender. dkf Apr 2013 #78

That is the most likely situation etherealtruth Apr 2013 #88

Men aren't smarter. Turbineguy Apr 2013 #79

But I find that those differences overlap to a large degree. dawg Apr 2013 #82

I don't have a clue why your daughter would think this way ... etherealtruth Apr 2013 #80

She didn't comment on shoes make-up and nails. rainy Apr 2013 #83

I understood that those were your musings etherealtruth Apr 2013 #85

No. Both sexes have their distinct differences... Comrade_McKenzie Apr 2013 #81

She's an outlier. Most girls AND boys believe the opposite is true. lumberjack_jeff Apr 2013 #86