I’m the Less Likely Gender in the Rarest Myers-Briggs Type

You probably clicked on this to see if you are also the rarest type, and also the rarest gender within that typing.

I'm an INTJ, or an "Architect." I'm an Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judge. INTJ women make up 0.8% of the population. INTJ men make up 1.2%. It's even weirder when we recall that 55% of the globe is female. If we do a ratio, putting women at 50% and men at 50%, INTJ women would actually make up 0.73%.

Now, it's pretty cool to be "rare," but my personality type is not incredibly enjoyed by others. As 16 Personalities puts it, people don't really get along with INTJ, because INTJ is so rare that they're hard to understand. Especially when they're women.

I definitely get this. I can't tell you how many people I tell I want to teach high school and their immediate responses are, "That'll be really hard. You know, elementary school or junior high would be so much easier." I roll my eyes every time.

INTJs love intelligence. It's their favorite thing in the world, including intelligent conversations; writing research papers; memorizing statistics, especially about psychology and other ways in which the world works; and continuing their education. They're geeks.

Believe it or not, teaching anyone younger than thirteen or fourteen would be a lot HARDER for INTJs. Kids can't have moderated, self-led discussions. Kids can't write syntheses about their favorite pieces of speculative fiction. Kids don't fill the single requirement of keeping an INTJs interest. It's hard for people to get along with ideas like this because any woman who doesn't like being in the same space as children must be eeeeevvvviillll.

People also don't like INTJs, because INTJs doesn't really like… everyone else. INTJs aren't people haters; that would be cruel. INTJs just question everything, especially traditions. We have rough opinions that most people don't agree with because most opinions have to do with tradition and INTJs think tradition is outdated.

We believe in looking nice, because psychology shows that dressing up makes people like you more. We don't believe in spending $200 on a shopping day. It's hard for us to get along with non-INTJ women because looking nice, wearing makeup, and attracting boys isn't really in our interest catalog.

We believe in loving someone romantically for conversation and functionality, but not for looks. Everyone loses their looks when they get older anyway. It's hard for non-INTJ women to understand this because… well, physical attraction is considered one of the most popular influences of accepting a date.

We believe in loving people who are good people, in morale and choice. We don't believe in loving family just because they're blood. If a third cousin you've never met before comes knocking on your door for money, don't give them any! It's hard for non-INTJ women to understand that family is chosen for us; not born.

You might not agree with any of these, but that's okay. It just means you don't have to take that really really long personality test to see if you are the rarest type. It's okay if you're not. Being different can be a rough road.