Thanks for the great reply. Funnily enough, I was originally was going to say that females are better at math in grade school, but the source I chose didn't dig into that claim.

I think we're on the fluctuation - and the ways that we're taught in school. Anecdotally, I'm under the impression (based mostly on conversations with other now adults - and teachers) that "regular ed" likely wouldn't have unlocked the same passions that "gifted"/advanced classes opened in me.

To emphasize your note about failure, my education was so changed because I was allowed to fail (38% on a test in 3rd grade advanced math is a memory). Whether it's Mike Tyson, Wayne Gretzky, Lombari, Bruce Wayne, or parenting advice - if we take shots, we're going to fail, we're going to get punched in the face, but will we get back up, and most importantly, will our children, students do it again until they succeed their way.

[Though, after I type that, I remember the point of the OP, you don't have to like math, you often times don't even have to do it the prescribed way - but it's important to learn it, you'll one day apply the concepts -- even when dealing with babies or animals.]

ADD is interesting and a clear example of bias, in that it is over-diagnosed and over-medicated in boys and under-diagnosed and under-medicated in girls. Simply saying it is "over prescribed" can make things worse for the people who are already being most neglected.