03-14-2014, 03:46 AM
Oh, this. Yes. Like Gablehauser's first experience of Sheldon led him to fire the guy. It isn't until you actually know him that you realise that he isn't being insulting to be insulting, he's just utterly socially inept. (And seems to have picked up some appalling racist/sexist behaviours in his family home.) I think if someone explained to Sheldon where he was being insulting, he'd be bemused, but probably wouldn't do it again. Unless it was about intelligence. He's rude to Leslie, not because she's a woman, but because of the loop gravity vs string theory dichotomy, but the way he did it probably earned undying enmity to begin with. Then she just thought it was fun to screw with him.
I also think that Leslie is both very sensitive to those sorts of remark, and inclined to react hard, because of her awareness that she is far more visible as a woman physicist. She's very tough because she's needed to be, and she's also got to where she is because she's tough and doesn't take crap.
Just imagine what she would have done to Leonard if he'd sabotaged one of her experiments. I just keep remembering the flash-frozen banana and that hammer...
I also think that Leslie is both very sensitive to those sorts of remark, and inclined to react hard, because of her awareness that she is far more visible as a woman physicist. She's very tough because she's needed to be, and she's also got to where she is because she's tough and doesn't take crap.
Just imagine what she would have done to Leonard if he'd sabotaged one of her experiments. I just keep remembering the flash-frozen banana and that hammer...