5 Incredibly Common, Obnoxious Stereotypes About Women Debunked By Science

Studies Show

5 Incredibly Common, Obnoxious Stereotypes About Women Debunked By Science

9:30 am, April 11th | by Amy Tennery

Women: Airheadish, frigid, superficial, gossipy, bad drivers, amiright? While most can agree that, on the whole, stereotypes are the worst, there are some rather irritating misconceptions about women that still prevail as so-called “common knowledge.”

And, sure, sometimes women can use stereotypes to their advantage. Mostly, however, they’re just a giant pain.

But that’s what science is for (among other things). In fact, many of the more irritating stereotypes at women — in the workplace and beyond — have been debunked by academic studies, surveys and hard scientific facts. All this time, science had our back and we didn’t even know it.

So the next time someone makes an annoying generalization about women, use this as a playbook to prove them wrong. Or you could always just print out every study, report and survey we’ve linked to in this piece and mail it to your most obnoxious acquaintance. Your call.

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1.Women and Driving

Stereotype: Women are bad drivers.

The truth: Here we have one of the more pervasive stereotypes about women. "Woman driver" is one of those non-verb sentences that you can utter with an "amiright?" eyeroll and everyone will "get it." Except that you'd be wrong.

First of all, the statistics stack up in women's favor: We're less likely to speed in residential neighborhoods, less likely to engage in "distracting" behaviors on the road (i.e. eating) and we're less likely to to drive while sleep-deprived.

Don't believe me? Well, there's a reason that men tend to pay more for auto insurance: They're riskier drivers.

Bonus round: There is also evidence that women may be better at parking cars.

[Image via BBL Media]

2.Female CEOs Die Alone

Stereotype: Powerful, successful women are usually "spinsters" who never marry.

The truth: Ah, yes. The many hours at the office make for lonely lives, right? These women sacrifice personal time, relationships (both platonic and romantic) and the vast majority either don't want to get married or never have the chance to, yes?

Nope.

Consider the New York Times report on Virginia Rometty last year, which showed that 26 out of the 28 female Fortune 500 CEOs at the time were married. Of those, 18 also had kids.

As far back as 1992, data showed that upwards of 60 percent of executive women were married. Not anywhere close to what the stereotypes claim.

[Image via imabeautygeek]

3.Women Are Bad At Math $Women Are Bad At Math$ Stereotype: Women are bad at math.

The truth: Not that I, personally, have done anything to disprove the theory, but women are not worse at math. And there are reports to back this up.

In fact, there's a wealth of data that shows girls and women of all ages scores just as well (if not better) on math tests than boys and men.

And, as long as we're on the subject, it's worth mentioning that other studies show stereotypes and bias often hold women back in math and science fields. So, yea. Stop it.

[Image via Think To Success]

4.Women Are Camping Deathtraps

Stereotype: Women are terrible camping companions because their menstrual cycles attract bears.

The truth: I know, this one's weird. It wasn't until I started researching this piece that I realized this is actually a somewhat widely held belief and not just something Brick Tamland says.

People are really freaked to go camping with women during "that time of the month." You know, when you're on the "Crimson Tide." When you're "having your monthly visit." Yea. That thing.

And it turns out that folks have actually looked into this. Yellowstone Park Bear Management department actually compiled data on how bears in the woods respond to Tampon Time. I know. Science.

The verdict? Grizzly bears and black bears are no more likely to attack or bother campers when they're hanging around a woman on her period. Bears are discreet like that. Thanks, bears.

But there is one caveat: We did find some legit data to suggest that polar bears are attracted to menstrual blood. And the lesson is… avoid camping on tundra when you're on your period. But most 'traditional camping' is okay. Good to know.

[Image via]