I hear some version of the sentiment that men are intimidated by smart and successful women all the time. It's irritating because, aside from the fact that I think it's mostly bore out of delusion, it's also the logic of "masculine women".

Men are not wired nor are we socialized to view women as competitors. I don't know if this is something told to women...that every interaction they have with a man has to become a battle of wits and willpower but most guys don't think like that.

Men are wired and conditioned to provide for and protect women, so to a lot of men, our "natural setting" is more like, if I have something and you're my woman, you can have it too. It's women who want to straddle the fence of one minute competing with men but then wanting to be provided for by men the next.

Not only that, but here's the other main issue with this argument (and I'm sorry if this comes off more insulting than I intend): most women are not that smart and not only that, most women don't actually lead with their intelligence.

Men care about intelligence in the sense that you can help problem-solve and resolve conflict and show discernment and foresight. Being bookish and well-studied isn't a bad thing, it's just not really a flex in the real world. And even then, most women don't try to find men who they think will be won over by their intelligence. They think men will be impressed by their accolades or personal accomplishments. It's not that she wants him to appreciate her for her mind, it's that she wants a Gold Star for accomplishing something at all. And when kinda shrug or half-heartedly compliment her, she takes it as he doesn't appreciate her.

The issue is, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself how does your intellect enrich a man's life. To be clear that's not the only reason to be smart or accomplish anything, I'm saying before you assume he's intimidated by you, maybe consider it's because you're giving him your CV but you're saying nothing that indicates you would be fun to date, a good wife, or a good mother.