I'm not sure where the antipathy to intellectuals come from - but yes, sure, I went to uni some years ago. I even did history, though my interest in history began well before that and continued on well after.

It's a very interesting subject. For example, men's fashions had surpassed women's for gaudiness by the 18th century, and it was Beau Brummel who led the revolt with his very sleek fashions of the very early 19th century. This was the precursor of our modern suit-and-tie. I guess before Beau, men too could have been tested and found to have a very broad range of colour perception. Who knows.

I assume too that a few assumptions were made about what was 'natural' for men then, too. Along with the assumption that really gained sway in the 19th century that somehow women's brains would explode if they had too much education. And of course there was the assumption that women were poor wee weak creatures who shouldn't be asked to do too much...unless they were servants. Or black.

I have a private theory that views such as the exploding-brain one appear in order to counter trends in the other direction - Victorian times also saw some quite radical (for the times) changes in women's status and what women did

Hi, NeverTrustPoliticians; Jay Of Melbourne; runner; Has been; onthebeach; David G.; Ovid - I have made various responses to your various comments. Please see above.

Incidentally, Ovid, I've looked and looked and can't see anywhere where I have advocated forcing boys not to play active games. What I said is that boys already play with dolls, but we tend not to recognise that; and i followed up with comments on how I used to play - games that included, by the way, climbing and wrestling. My point is that this is how children play, and trying to direct them into gendered play is harmful in that it doesn't recognise who they are. That's my point. What's yours again?

Further, Jay Of Melbourne, peer pressure and the onslaught of media are great influences on children. Almost as great as parents', sadly

Many thanks for your understanding comments, Candide and Rusty Catheter