[feministohmy]

Same here. Most women I've talked to about this seem to accept it just fine. However, try explain this to a proclaimed feminist or activist (say, the "not a fan" lady). Any comment on statistical distribution that is completely meaningless at the individual level is taken as a direct, personal insult. No counter argument will be presented, just name calling or anecdotal horseshit. When I was in college I was required to take a gender studies course, and some notions taught there were simply absurd, like on average there's no difference between men and women's physical strength. What? What's next, there are no biological differences between genitals? I mean, physical strength isn't even a factor we normally judge people on. And regarding intellectual differences, I was personally taught by the first female Fields medalist and respect her immensely — she might just be smarter than all men. But that does not shake the statistical argument one bit. (Oh, feminists will say: "look, this dude is pulling out that I-worked-with-a-woman-once defense again.")

It is simply sad that our totally defensible theories are almost completely silenced these days for fear of hurting our academic or professional prospects, and they seem more triumphant by the day simply because we're silenced. I don't even feel safe posting from my usual account. Guess I should be thankful that people aren't burned at stakes anymore.