Blondes Aren't Dumb, but This Study on "Dumb Blondes" Kind of Was

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It's an old stereotype: blondes are dumb. The "dumb blonde" archetype has been featured in films like Legally Blonde, and actresses like Suzanne Somers and Pamela Anderson haven't been able to detach themselves from the persistent and flawed perception. Researchers at Ohio State University recently took it upon themselves to test whether this theory had any bearing. The result? Blondes aren't any dumber than brunettes, redheads or the raven-haired.

Read more: How the White, Blonde Disney Princesses Sell vs. Dark-Skinned Ones

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The researchers surveyed 10,878 American women, and found that white women who said their hair color was blonde had comparable IQs with test subjects who said their hair color was brown, red or black. "I don't think you can say with certainty that blondes are smarter than others," said Jay Zagorsky, the author of the study. "But you can definitely say they are not any dumber."

In fact, the study had a surprising conclusion: in comparison to women with other hair colors, "Blonde women were slightly more likely to be in the highest IQ category than those with other hair colors, and slightly less likely to be in the lowest IQ category."

Zagorsky concludes by saying, "This study provides compelling evidence that there shouldn't be any discrimination against blondes based on their intelligence."

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h/t Women's Health