a fierce intelligence which belied her sweet, pretty face

[Vladv1]

"It was during his basic training at the coastal town of Kirkcaldy that Chick met Isobelle Cunningham Mitchell – ‘Isa’ – at a Saturday night dance. A dark-haired, slender girl with a fierce intelligence which belied her sweet, pretty face, Isa had grown up as one of four daughters and didn’t miss a trick. Like Chick, she loved music and came from a musical family".
Mick Wall, "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be".

Does "belie" mean here that beacause she was pretty everybody thought she was stupid, when she was not?

 

[Tarheel]

It seems to. Your guess is good as mine. Do some people think that because a woman is pretty she isn't intelligent? Well, it seems so even though there isn't a good reason for that.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, it's predicated on the outdated idea that a woman can't be both attractive and intelligent. Sadly, there are still some idiots in this world who believe that to be true.

 

[Tarheel]

As far as I know there has been no evidence either asked for or offered that beauty and brains are somehow incompatible.

 

[emsr2d2]

As far as I know there has been no evidence either asked for or offered that beauty and brains are somehow incompatible.

I'm pretty sure that the people who hold views like that aren't really interested in evidence!