Penny, in the mid 80s my youngest son had a similar reaction when he admitted to his grandparents that he wasn't bothered about 'manly' sports or sport in general neither playing them or as a spectator. My ex-partner's reaction was that he had been short changed by his son by not accompanying him to football matches or sharing as much interest. If there was a family event going on he would be more inclined to help out arranging the food, candles or flowers. My father commented that he should be interested in sports and things of that nature instead, rather than laying up a table.

When I was at junior school the boys reacted the way you describe shrinking away from girls as if they had some kind of disease. That feeling of inferiority didn't go away when I got my first job then I was face to face with a boss who had set ideas about women. Politics or world issues were mostly only discussed by male colleagues or perhaps one or two matriarcal type women and when I commented on something he would tell me 'not to worry my little head about it' luckily things have moved on since then, hopefully.