It Only Takes a Girl

[eridani]

8. Actually, America has always been anti-intellectual, and now boys are getting the worst of it

It used to be that widespread social contempt for 'book learning' was no barrier at all to getting a well-paying job, most of which were reserved for men. Girls in US culture have always been more diligent at school, and used to be rewarded for this by being stuck in low-paying pink collar jobs regardless of educational attainment. Now girls are more likely to go to college, and boys are still stuck with Beavis and Butthead for role models.

The developing world is, as the OP illustrates, a very different story.