I disagree that nerd fears are different than fat girl fears. The article lists the following as fat girl fears: >fear of being (physically) unattractive and f

I disagree that nerd fears are different than fat girl fears. The article lists the following as fat girl fears: >fear of being (physically) unattractive and fear of unemotional relationships (often linked with a third element — fear of being assertive). These are usually the same fears that nerds have. Nerds are afraid of being assertive because from their experiences in the past, being assertive gets them mocked or shut down. Nerds are constantly reminded how they are physically unattractive. The article mentions physical inadequacy but this is really just the same as physical unattractiveness. >If you believe that you’re physically inadequate and therefore you might fail in approaching a potential dating partner, the disappointed emotions that can arise from that are precisely the kind that would have gotten your ass handed to you when you were younger. The entire process could open you to ridicule (think the famous quote about men being afraid that women will laugh at them) and so you don’t even try. You stay stuck. I think the article fails to acknowledge here that nerdy men do actually approach women and women actually do laugh at them. The problem isn't a lack of approaching, it's a lack of attractiveness. For unattractive nerdy men, it's not just a "belief" that they are unattractive, they actually are unattractive.