Holding a master's degree, speaking several languages, working as an engineer, and possessing extensive general knowledge are all particularly eloquent signs of intelligence. However, being knowledgeable isn't very flattering for women. Those with higher IQs seem to have lower beauty standards, or so suggests a very serious study. The myth of the airheaded, snobbish woman, interested only in makeup, persists in people's minds.
When intelligence becomes a "bad habit"
In pop culture, witty women who make their fortunes from the pages of books, play chess, and attend conferences all share a typical look. They sport large glasses, outfits that are the epitome of banality, and perfectly parted hair.
Take Velma in "Scooby-Doo," for example: she has a big turtleneck, a severe bob, and rectangular glasses. Conversely, the women who are courted and who flirt with beauty standards are considered shallow. The only discussions they have revolve around American football players or their next fashion purchase. In short, an intelligent woman is necessarily ordinary, while a beautiful woman is always uncultured. These prejudices, which imply that women can't have it all, are deeply ingrained.
In the collective imagination, a woman considered "beautiful" cannot possibly have Einstein's brain; it seems almost mathematically certain. It's as if beauty and intelligence couldn't coexist in women. In men, intelligence is an undeniable quality, while in women, it's a strong turn-off. And no, this isn't just a feeling. A study conducted by researchers from Washington State University and the University of Colorado has confirmed it.
Persistent prejudices that conflate beauty and knowledge
The findings of this study are not encouraging. The 200 participants were tasked with giving their impressions of a panel of women based solely on photos of them at work. And they seem to confirm the theory that "the more educated you are, the less attractive you are." The majority of respondents stated that the women deemed most attractive appeared less honest than the others. They were also perceived as less trustworthy and more likely to be fired.
Men, when they show signs of intelligence, score points and gain charisma. But according to this study, the opposite is true for women. Why? Certainly because, since the dawn of time, women have been portrayed as inferior, naive, irresponsible, and superficial. Remember that era of the objectified woman, the age of "you're beautiful, but shut up." Unfortunately, some vestiges of that remain.
However, the most plausible explanation, according to psychologists, is called the dilution effect. We tend to think that a person or thing that does two things at once will be less efficient than someone who specializes in only one. In short: if a woman spends her time with books by Voltaire, listens to historical podcasts, and watches Arte, she can't possibly be at her physical peak either.
When female intelligence frightens men
According to a collective mindset, women can multitask—it's even required—but they can't possess all the qualities at once. Men have that privilege, but their female counterparts must be content with just one strength. Naturally, with such a mentality, women who excel at what they do , who are elegant, and who, on top of that, have a sense of humor, are seen as threats. They inspire mistrust and attract gossip. And this isn't the result of some feminist conspiracy.
A study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology in 2015 confirms this. Following an IQ test, the men who took the test met women who had undergone the same brain examination. Surprisingly, they appeared less attracted to and significantly more distant from the women who had scored higher than them. This is simply a vestige of the patriarchal era, a time when women were pawns on the chessboard, not queens capable of asserting their authority.
If intelligent women aren't appreciated for their true worth, it's because they embody everything men fear. That doesn't mean you should suppress your intellect, though.
