Yup, grew up in a house with no boys, didn't have any problems in math until high school and the teachers harassed the girls and rewarded the girls.

Mental blocks come in all shapes and sizes. Knowing that they exist is a big step in overcoming them.

On this topic, see "Girls Just Want to Have Sums." The Simpsons, Season 17, Episode 19.

This is a hoot!
In a serious vein, that "self esteem" machine is the other side of the coin that must be overcome also, along with the abusive classroom situations.
Moderation in all things and high expectations with opportunities for support improve academic success.
There is an entire body of research on the gifted child with language issues (in the area of semantics) and the negative effect on their academic performance. Refer to Elizabeth Weig. Her research predates this study.