So they say male babies start to talk very late, is that true?

Was true for all three of my boys

They are checking out that mom bod

Not in my family....one of my nieces didn't say anything for a few years, but then she started talking in complete sentences.
Her older brother was surprised when he started school because until then he thought that little girls couldn't talk!

I've never heard that before.

Hmm from what I remember going back 10+ years at uni yes that’s true males are often behind. They might prioritise motor skills over social ones for example at certain periods of early development. Overall though as long as enough language occurs somewhere before 3 years you’re in the realms of the wide spectrum of normal.

We just learn very early we are never going to get a word in, no matter how hard we try.