Each individual has their own blend of femininity and masculinity. No one is entirely masculine or entirely feminine; we all have masculine, feminine, or androgynous qualities in us, to different degrees. A way to analyze someone’s overall essence is by looking at their Enneagram type(s). Each Enneagram type is more stereotypically feminine or masculine, or both (aka androgynous).
Masculine: 8, 7 > 5
Feminine: 9, 4 > 2
Androgynous: 6, 1, 3
People who have a lot of 8, 7, or 5 will come across as having a more masculine essence. 8s being aggressive and “gutsy”, 7s being hedonistic, 5s being logical.
People who have a lot of 9, 4, or 2 will come across as having a more feminine essence. 2s being supportive and expressive, 9s being yielding and conflict-avoidant, 4s being emotionally touchy and introspective.
People who have a lot of 6, 1, or 3 will come across as having a more androgynous essence; or rather, depending on their gender and personal values, they may come across as either more feminine or more masculine. For instance, 3s will generally try to be an extreme version of their gender; the women are often hyper-feminized, and the men hyper-masculinized in appearance, though the women do retain an ambitious drive and assertiveness that is a bit masculine, and the men’s appearance is rather metrosexual, which is a bit feminine.
The masculine core types: 8w7, 7w8
leaning slightly androgynous: 7w6
leaning androgynous: 8w9 < 5w6 < 5w4
The feminine core types
leaning slightly androgynous: 9w1, 4w3
leaning androgynous: 9w8, 4w5 < 2w1, 2w3
The androgynous core types
leaning feminine: 1w9 > 1w2, 3w4 > 3w2
leaning masculine: 6w7 > 6w5
Type•volution 
Masculine and feminine are also social constructs. Certain types of people will seem more masculine or feminine, according to their tastes and how they act within what is expected of their gender identity. I find the Gender differences an interesting topic and although a person can appear feminine or masculine, they might shape themselves to look a certain way and be accepted as such, if they care about being seen manly or feminine. For example, a straight male may try to fit the Male construct, despite the “Enneagram feminine essence” because he is straight and want to be seen as such. It is also a part of who they are, bringing more ingredients to their Personality Composition.
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On what grounds is this argument based? Are there any references or is this all inferred by you? Who are you?
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Assuming you are addressing me: I am a student of the Enneagram. I have read several books: Naranjo, Riso & Hudson, Chestnut, Palmer. I have partaken in video hangouts with Katherine Fauvre and Tom Condon. Overall, that article is based on my own experiences and understanding of the types.
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Interest post. I have had various results on MBTI tests, but my enneagram seems to be a consistent 8w7.
The first time I did a triad test I had an 837 (mover shaker), some time later I tried taking another test and ended up with 853 (solution master).
Somewhat surprising to me that apparently these results lead me into some of the most masculine category, when I always perceived (perhaps before) to be somewhat effeminate. As a man I definitely get emotionally touched by certain things and some of my interests tend to have an audience that is governed by a female majority.
A very interesting read though, good inputs.
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Hmm it sounds like you might have Type 4 in your tritype, actually?
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You could have both 4 and 8 in your tritype. I would rule out 2 personally, because of your suggestion you are xNTJ.
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Interesting* post. Excuses for not checking the spelling earlier.
Just to add on to that, I’ve just read your post that deals with a similar issue of masculinity and MBTI, I’d say the ESTP is very spot on. I’ve heard somewhere that Jung said that ENPs are the feminine types, so it was interesting to see you type them as masculine.
Also my MBTI tends to be mostly INTJ while my socionics is ENTJ with a Ni subtype, which seems to be just about right for 8w7.
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Why do you type yourself differently in both systems?
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I would have to read up on Jung’s take on ENxP, I cannot recall him suggesting that. I thought he considered ExFJ the most “feminine”; he assumed that Fe was largely (if not exclusively) a female function, which is obviously not the entire truth, but there is indeed the trend of Fe being more common in females.
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Olimpia,
I don’t definitively type myself, I go by the results that I have received from algorithms and by suggestions from other people where common mistypings happen, they led me to socionics, enneagram, function stacks. These generic online tests like 16p would mostly type me as an INTJ (along with others) but socionics has been very consistent in LIE-Ni along with enneagram of 8w7. Perhaps some tests mostly rank the strength of each function instead of working out which is leading (in the case of auxiliary being better developed). With these most of people in the community came to a conclusion of ENTJ.
With Jung I don’t know for sure. I assume he meant there is some correlation of Ne-doms and gender:
On extroverted intuition, C. G. Jung: Psychological Types. 1921.
“Apparently this type is more prone to favour women than men; in which case, however, the intuitive activity reveals itself not so much in the professional as in the social sphere. Such women understand the art of utilizing every social opportunity; they establish right social con- [p. 466] nections; they seek out lovers with possibilities only to abandon everything again for the sake of a new possibility.”
As for me and type 4 – who knows. A lot of things that are being said about ENTJ seem very true (competitive, assertive, blunt) but some seem off, and a lot of ENFP description sounds like my childhood (although I might be misjudging myself). I definitely can come across as intimidating but when I was a young I was sometimes mistaken for a girl (mostly my fault). Maybe a melancholic ENTJ (whatever that means).
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Actually, if you google the 2’s and 8’s listed on the Enneagram institute’s website, just about all the 8 women look more feminine and 2’s look very masculine and more serious. Also, they mistyped 8’s Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Tilly as 6 and 2 respectively. Type 8 women also have much higher right hand 2d4d ratio than type 2 women (monica lewinsky is a 2 and she has a very low right hand 2d4d ratio, people on my direct maternal line have large masculine foreheads, very low right hand 2d4d ratio and are 2’s); agreeableness and extraversion and psychopathy are negatively correlated with prenatal testosterone while neuroticism is positively correlated with prenatal testosterone. Also, males are more likely to say “I love you” first in relationships indicating that males are probably more likely to be type 2 while females are more likely to be type 8. Women have smaller amygdala (anxiety, depression) and frontal lobes (empathy) so they’re probably less likely to be 6’s and 2’s than 8’s. Also, in my family (I don’t like any of them but anyway…), there are way more male 2’s (I had initially mistyped them as 1’s) and male 6’s and female 8’s. 2’s are frequently under stress so that’s why they appear aggressive a lot yet 8’s actually don’t overreact angrily to insults or criticism like 2’s do.
I really don’t know how so many people could fall for gender stereotypes.
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work bitch ! everything in this web is so fierce, you have obtain a lot of knowledge, i’m proud sis ! i also think that the instinctual variant have a fair share of this too as SXs being the more femenine and SPs more masculine and SOs more androgynous. i said because i know a ESTJ 387 SX/SP and his femenine traits come from the instincts also Si make people more caring.
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Haha thanks! interesting points. I’d agree on the social instinct being more androgynous, but I’ve been wondering about Sx and Sp. The instincts can be found in the animal kingdom, and I have made videos on comparing them with us humans. If I look into the origins in the animal “spirit”, then the Sx instinct would actually have to be masculine, because there, the attraction game is primarily initiated by the men. They try to entice and draw the females to them (see the peacock and his feathers). In contrast, the women are known for nesting with their children and taking care of them with resources, which is rather Sp, so the Sp instinct would have to be more feminine. Having said that, it seems like in our Western culture, the impressions have changed somewhat towards seeing Sx as more feminine and Sp as more masculine (at least temporarily). This could be largely a cultural thing. But biologically, Sx is more masculine.. testosterone, men have a higher sex drive, are more sexually driven than women… Women are biologically wired to birth children, hence they are more concerned about resources… I am still trying to figure it out. But the social instinct is certainly universally androgynous.
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Yes awesome website! I love it all!! Sx variant has more to do with one on one connection and merging and very little to do with sex. SP has more to do with providing for/ comfort (food/hunter gather), resources for living (bread winner typically male in western). Mom and baby would be considered Sx and is more attachment driven. SP is making the money and having car etc to support family. Sx also referred to as one to one variant -connection and bonding. Super feminine. Most people confuse this with sex and attracting a mate which would be more SP for survival/ procreation and having a nice care, career to attract mate ( peacock )- typically male.
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Im 4w5. Yet i m very feminine person. I don’t see myself as androgynous at all. Im gentle and emotional and artistic even though I’m introverted. The masculine part may be the part of me that like to learn things. My mbti is consistently isfp, i do bellydance and love all things beautiful and sensual.
I don’t know if im sx,sp or so.
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Yes 4 is fundamentally a feminine type. But if you compare 4w5 and 4w3, the former leans a bit more towards androgyny (because 5 is quite cerebral and detached, a masculine stereotype). Based on what you said, it sounds as if you could rather be 4w3, possibly Sx/Sp.
This post might help you out with typing your instincts.
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Where would 2w1 fit?
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Ah good question! Looks like I forgot it. I will add it to the overview. But it basically would rank around the same as 2w3, “Feminine, leaning androgynous”. But the overall essence also depends on the other two fixes.
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Interesting! What do you think about the world that there are core masculine enneagram types but not core feminine enneagram types? Even 4w3 and 9w1 lean slightly androgynous but no combination seems core feminine. Makes me a little sad 😦
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CORRECTION: In my above comment, I meant to say that Sexual 4s look more masculine.
Tyler
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Here’s my addition to this wonderful theory you’ve posted Olimpia.
Just as each Enneagram Type has a countertype, it seems that each of your 3 categories (masculine, feminine, and androgynous) could have a “countertype” (for lack of a better word) that goes against the grain. For example:
Masculine #s:
8: Social 8 looks more feminine
7: Social 7 looks more feminine
5: Sexual 5 looks more feminine
Feminine #s:
9: Self-Pres 9 looks more masculine (maybe Social??)
4: Self-Pres 4 looks more masculine
2: Social 2 looks more masculine
Androgynous #s (still figuring this one out):
6: Sexual 6 looks more masculine
1: Sexual 1 looks more masculine; Self-Pres 1 looks more feminine
3: Sexual 3 looks either very masculine or very feminine
Tyler, Enneagram author and coach
http://www.tylerzach.com
http://www.instagram.com/gospelforenneagram
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