“Just as our perceptions of physical attractiveness has evolved, so has our perceptions of nerdiness.”

You explained it well and had a logical conclusion for the “creativity…(leading to) a cool band.

I think this evolution of women’s perception of nerds is due to the evolution of technology and communications. Now more than ever, being a nerd in today’s society has financial benefits, with many new websites being made and a vast amount of income being created due to technological advancements. These facts show promise for the future of “nerds” and this future makes them more attractive as a mate. For this reason, I agree with you and Jorge’s post did a good job of demonstrating the tide shift from physically attractive to financially attractive.

Additionally, I can testify to your accuracy on the high amount of girls/women with I <3 Nerds shirts because I knew a number of girls in college who owned one of those shirts and definitely fit into that niche.

I enjoy your posts so keep up the good work!

It’s an interesting article about women in science. It also references “geek chic” and “smart is the new cool.”

If the Times has caught on to the rise of nerds, it must be true. Right?

I also agree that this research doesn’t focus as much on true “nerdiness” as other qualities that compound on physical attractiveness (although Bill Gates might make an interesting case study).

Just as our perceptions of physical attractiveness has evolved, so has our perceptions of nerdiness. Today you can see teenage girls in t-shirts that say, “I <3 Nerds/Geeks/Boys who are skinny and pale.” Science and tech magazines like Seed and Wired are considered hip. I think it’s partially our continually changing culture, and partially nerds “rebranding” themselves.

My favorite recent catchphrase is, “I’m a geek for…”