Question about American culture: WASPs?

[Alfred001]

I'm not American, but I've always thought that the WASPs in America were thought of as being moneyed and sophisticated, sort of like William Buckley. But on a few occasions recently I've heard people, and not people who would be antagonistic towards them, describe them as anti-intellectual.

Have I been misunderstanding what WASPs are?

[Dreamwoven]

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants as a category doesn't mean "moneyed and sophisticated". There are plenty of poor and unsophisticated people in that category.

[Alfred001]

Yes, but when people say WASP they typically think of rich WASPs.

[Pompey Bum]

It is often used to describe the sort of monied culture you are describing, Alfred, but since it is ultimately a racial and religious characterization/slur it can be applied without regard to wealth. Happy will be the day when such things are behind us.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

The first thought that comes to mind are the Women Airforce Service Pilots

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_Airforce_Service_Pilots

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/NARA-542191-WASP-pilot.jpg/192px-NARA-542191-WASP-pilot.jpg