I haven't been able to shake the feeling I got when my daughter said "I think men are smarter than

[etherealtruth]

85. I understood that those were your musings

I strongly disagree with them.

I also believe (some) guys engage in parallel behaviors (just as SOME women do). Humans, especially early in adult life when attempting to define who they are, do very stupid things. have you ever seen "Jersey Shore?" (I actually have only seen snippets, that was too much for me).

I am sorry that your daughter suffers from low self esteem. I do attribute a lot of this to unattainable standards of success and beauty promoted by mass media. This has a particularly deleterious effect on women. My youngest child does not have the confidence and sense of self worth as his older brother and sister.

Where I depart with you is in the thoughts that young women are somehow to "blame" when cultural misogyny rears its ugly head. Sadly, I fear (if it is in fact the case) your daughter's sense of self is the reason for her perception ... not the actions of the young women that surround her.

My 19 year old daughter's boyfriend (an incredibly bright kid attending a top 10 university) refers to her as the "brains" in the couple (they have been together for 5 years) .... despite the fact the she is very attractive, loves shoes and has a great sense of style.

Though my children have been raised to understand that "beauty" is simply the convergence of societal norms and genetics, there is enough evidence to show that those that are perceived "more attractive" than their peers are (unfairly?) given advantages in many situations. In one of the articles below there is the statement: "Psychologists think good looking employees are often more confident as a result of their attractiveness .... " I am inclined to believe that this is what is truly at play.


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/attractive-people-paid-better-work-attention-bosses-report-article-1.466980


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5330812/Beautiful-people-are-paid-more-than-counterparts-because-they-are-worth-it.html

Researchers discovered attractive people get paid better and rise higher up the corporate ladder than less good-looking colleagues of equal ability.

But they believe it may not be simply down to bosses lusting after beautiful members of staff, it may actually be because they are easier to work with and better educated.

Psychologists think good looking employees are often more confident as a result of their attractiveness and therefore shine and stand out in the office. It also leads to them being better qualified.