Another great read is Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine.

http://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-D...

Assuming no difference isn't Politically Correct (by which I take it you mean a social lie that nobody actually believes). Really, there are no differences (cf Delusions of Gender http://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-D...). There is no difference between a woman's brain and a man's. Give two brain scans (fMRIs/MEGs/EEGs etc) to a neuroscientist and they cannot tell which one belongs to which gender.

And people do have qualms saying women are better at empathy. "Women's strengths" justifies sexism and boxing women into specific roles. In the 50's it was keeping women in the kitchen, "because they were naturally better at it and want to do it", now it's empathy and relationships which justifies them having to raise children and doing emotional labor.

Regardless, the article is bad, it makes a false dichotomy. First, Putnam should increase participation in girls, then it can remove the special women's prize.

I've read through "The Delusion of Gender"- http://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-D..., where an Oxford, Cambridge, and UCL-educated Doctor of Psychology wrecks havok through Simon Baron-Cohen and his ilk's research.

It's a little boring, but systematic.

Anyone interested in gender studies and the current understanding of gender ought to read "Delusions of Gender" by Cordelia Fine. It is a fantastically interesting book.

http://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-D...