This article was originally written for Q de Cuir, a digital Cuban magazine for the empowerment of LGBTQI people. Read the article in Spanish here on Medium.
Why is it that in almost every queer gathering, someone will ask another person, “what’s your sign?” And then the inquirer will go “ahh, I can see that,” or “uh-oh, better watch out!” especially if the responder is a Scorpio or Leo?
Why is astrology so important within queer communities and how is queer affinity to celestial guidance connected to Christian Supremacy?
I’m no expert and there’s no catch all to this question. Even within queer communities, interest in astrology ranges from in-depth study to casual acknowledgement or a ‘food for thought’ type of approach.
While the investment varies, my take is that queers are more likely to ascribe to astrology because no one has been kicked out of the universe for being gay. The expanse of the universe doesn’t care about our gender or sexuality, in fact these aspects of our lives become trivial when placed in the context of the infinite possibilities of existence available to us.
Commercialized astrology will guide us to ‘finding the love of your life’ or ‘making the right career choice.’ More social justice and queer oriented astrology, such as the offerings made by Chani Nicholas will remind us of our connectivity and collective destiny while affirming our unique and complex experiences.
There is also something quite decolonial or precolonial about astrology because it reconnects us to the earth and nature and literally places us among the planets. Our charts are determined by what was happening in the universe at the moment of our birth and each planet and its position can provide guidance for every aspect of our life.
This expansive offering is a stark contrast to the rigid, binary gender rules imposed on us by Christian Supremacy. These are the rules that perpetuate notions of women as property and heterosexuality for the sake of procreation as the only acceptable form of sexuality.
For those of us who have been kicked out of faith communities, the stars have always been there, and it’s refreshing to be invited to think more deeply about our unique existence and how we want to be in the world, and co-create our experience with the universe rather than being scolded for not living up to a repressive, dogmatic standard. No one has been condemned for being an ‘unnatural’ Gemini or a ‘disobedient’ Taurus.
Another appeal of this precolonial/decolonial sophistication is that astrology is generally always generative. Astrology done well is rarely ever disparaging. It provides people with a sense of autonomy while connecting us to our past and our futures. It allows us to participate in our own lives in more intentional ways.
Ultimately, what makes astrology appealing, particularly to queers, is the ability to interpret it as you see best for your life. In Christian Supremacy, there’s no room for self-determination, critical thinking, or even feelings about the life instructions given in the Bible. It’s very authoritarian and patriarchal, and if you question or disobey, you’re either condemned or kicked out of the community.
Horoscopes provide guidance without the pressure to be and do anything that doesn’t feel right for you. It’s not for everyone and that’s also part of the appeal; there’s no pressure, just an invitation to think more deeply and expansively about your life and your purpose.
Grace Nichols is the Kinship Minister for Soulforce. They are passionate about transformation through creativity and revolutionary relationship building. They are a Scorpio Sun, Gemini Moon, and Capricorn Rising.
