Some astrological thoughts on
gender fluidity & fluid sexuality
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| Caroline Cossey |
The sexual revolution of the 20th century can be seen to have utilised the sequential energies of several of the outer planets - not limited to a single decade but spread over a lengthy period. And it wasn't simply a matter of more sex.
- Neptune in Scorpio 1956-1970 including the Uranus-Pluto conjunction during the 1960s
- Uranus in Scorpio from the end of 1974-end of 1981
- Pluto in Scorpio 1984-1995 including the Uranus-Neptune conjunction in the early 1990s
After that 40 year period the subsequent 25 years have been flavoured by Uranus and Neptune’s passage through Aquarius [Uranus 1996-2003] [Neptune 1998 to January 2012] - energies that have ushered in not only the age of global digital connectivity but also the use of digital technology to host video content dedicated to the sort of sexual fantasies and immersive sexual content [Neptune in Scorpio] resonating for those born in the 1956-1970 era.
The Uranus in Scorpio cohort is also very activated by the Aquarian phase of Uranus & Neptune - reinforcing the online environment for sexual experiences and connections to be made.
In addition to that digital sexual arena the Aquarian effect from the latter 1990s into the second decade of the 2000s has seen a lot of social media available online for group identification and association around sex sexuality identity and gender.
Out of this a new vocabulary and grammatical practices have emerged to fit new distinctions within the spectrum of expression in these areas of behaviour and identity.
The most high profile collective shift has involved people who have a desire to transition to the alternative sex and or gender identity - transsexuals and those identifying as transgender.
Though writings as far back as the Greek Classical era provided enough hints about sexual diversity - greater clarity in this new millennium about the spectrum of gender identity and of sexual orientation have further permeated social consciousness after a long slow arising in the twentieth century.
Comparative studies placing us humans in company with the diversity found across the range of animal species allows finally a conclusion that variability and transition are a normal/natural part of the range of biological potentials.
From an astrological perspective there are many energetic stimuli that could play a role in the assertion of behaviours such as same sex sexuality transgender or transsexuality and any type of rule-breaking or boundary-stretching choices.
Looking initially at various high profile people with known birthdates - who chose to either fully transition from their apparent genetic sex at birth and/or to express in behaviours clothing and assert identity in the ways of the other sex - an initial observation is the presence of several of the personal planets (Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars) in mutable signs. This signifies fluid changeable energies.
Only some have full birth-timed chart availability but from information available mutable planets are recurrently found to be part of the story.
These examples include total known mutable personal planets mutable outer planets including Chiron,Nodes, + ASC if known:
Transition type also noted.
Chelsea Manning M to F [4] including Sun Mercury
Lana Wachowski M to F [7] including Mars
Lilly Wachowski M to F [5] including Moon
Caitlyn Jenner M to F [3] including Venus Mars
Georgie Stone M to F [4] including Mercury Mars
Chas Bono F to M [4] incl Sun Mars
Ian Harvie F to M [7] incl Sun Moon Mercury Venus? Mars
Patrick Califia F to M [5] incl Sun Mercury Venus Mars
But single factor analysis is not enough.
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| Ian Harvie |
The next category of interest is the outer planets
Pluto Neptune Uranus.
Pluto is a prime candidate for those who want to significantly transform themselves in any way. For Pluto to be relevant in this context it is the fixed signs especially Scorpio that blend the phrase sex change or transformed sexuality [though that outcome may be produced hormonally surgically or symbolically using clothing ]
Pluto connected to :
personal planets Sun Mercury Venus Mars Lunar Nodes ASC MC
For example
Caitlyn Jenner Pluto trine Venus
Lilly Wachowski Pluto quincunx Mars & sextile Venus
Lana Wachowski Pluto sextile Mercury
Jan Morris Pluto conjunct North Node
Georgie Stone Pluto opposite Mercury & Mars
Chelsea Manning Pluto conjunct Mars
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| Georgie Stone |
Neptune is also relevant in the fixed signs especially Scorpio [fluid sexuality, sexual fantasies] and in the mutables especially Pisces [loose boundaries]
Neptune was in Scorpio 1956-1970
The Wachowski sisters [Capricorn & Cancer ] were born 1965 1967
Ian Harvie [Sun Gemini] 1968
Chas Bono [Sun Pisces] 1969
Mutable sign Neptune eras
Neptune in Sagittarius 1970-1984 open expansive all-embracing
Neptune in Pisces 2012-to Jan 2026 escapism fantasies changeable
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| Lily & Lana Wachowski |
Neptune aspecting personal planets is relevant: Venus & Mars stand out in these examples
Lilly Wachowski Neptune conjunct Venus
Lana Wachowski Neptune trine Venus
Caitlyn Jenner Neptune semisquare Mars
Georgie Stone Neptune trine Mercury-Mars
Patrick Califia Neptune quincunx Venus
Chas Bono Neptune conjunct Mars
Uranus the rule breaker is a prime candidate in Scorpio [end of 1974-end of 1981]
Also note Uranus in transit - especially in any sign linked to a Neptune or Pluto disposed to transformation or fluidity regarding sex/identity/gender.
1960s had a Uranus Pluto conjunction in mutable Virgo.
Uranus-Neptune conjunctions are rare but the last [repeat of 3] in 1993 was in Capricorn -quite conflicted.
Uranus-Neptune square also rare last occurred in 1954 1955 & 1956 in Cardinal [affecting relationship choices] and Fixed - the Uranus in Leo square Neptune in Scorpio in 1956 at 0 degrees even more relevant.
Few people alive were born with the Uranus-Neptune opposition. The last was 1910.
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| Chelsea Manning |
Chelsea Manning Uranus conjunct Sun & Mercury in Sagittarius
Wachowski sisters born during the Uranus-Pluto conjunction
Lana Wachowski Uranus square north Node
Jan Morris Uranus opposite Venus; Uranus in Pisces quincunx Neptune
Caitlyn Jenner Uranus trine Sun
Ian Harvie Uranus square Mercury, sextile Neptune, conjunct Pluto
Georgie Stone Uranus in Aquarius, Uranus squ Jupiter-Saturn-Venus-Sun in Taurus
Chas Bono Uranus conjunct Jupiter - both on south Node -all sextile Mars
Patrick Califia Uranus trine Sun
The Gemini-Sagittarius Mutable Factor
The Sagittarius factor is frequent in the small sample and could promote the need to be free to expand and explore in the context of gender/sexuality/sex
The Gemini factor is also frequent -along with Mercury conjunct Sun. This is the capacity to inhabit the inner and or outer Twin.
Caitlyn Jenner Venus in Sagittarius
Georgie Stone Pluto in Sagittarius opposite Mercury Mars in Gemini
Ian Harvie Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars in Gemini
Chas Bono Mars in Sagittarius sextile Jupiter-Uranus
Chelsea Manning Chiron in Gemini; Sun Mercury Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius
Many of the same natal factors will apply to people who express themselves in primarily same sex attractions and perhaps to a lesser degree in those who function in a bisexual lifestyle.
Amongst high profile people - generally who have not disclosed gender fluidity or same sex atractions in their private life there are example of those who are happy to express themselves through their chosen creative field - in ways that place them more centrally on the spectrum of gender/sexuality.
Examples would include David Bowie Elton John Grace Jones Ellen DeGeneres Michael Jackson Cate Blanchett
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| David Bowie |
Elton John singer/songwriter Nodes in Gemini/Sagittarius, Uranus in Gemini; Venus in Aquarius, Mars in Pisces, Jupiter in Scorpio; Uranus square Mars
Michael Jackson singer/songwriter quite loose sexuality. Transformed his face through surgery. Neptune in Scorpio; Pluto conjunct Virgo Sun
Sinead O’Connor singer/songwriter has been back & forth in her sexuality identity. 5 mutables include Uranus-Pluto conjunction [but opposed by Saturn in Pisces bringing religious restraint & conflict] Sun-Venus in Sagittarius.
Cate Blanchett actor who has inhabited male persona & a lesbian character . Neptune in Scorpio; 5 mutables. Jupiter-Pluto conjunction on south node. Sun trine Jupiter-Pluto. North node Pisces. Mercury in Gemini. Mars in Sagittarius A mix of loose & transformational.
David Bowie singer songwriter actor with some androgynous/fluid sexuality phases. Nodes Gemini Sagittarius. Uranus in Gemini. Venus in Sagittarius. Jupiter in Scorpio. Uranus quincunx Sun-Mars. Sun-Mars semisquare Venus.
Grace Jones singer/songwiter actor Marsy & androgynous possibly 5 mutables with Sagittarius ascendant & Gemini Moon. Pluto trine Venus. Mars trine Sun-Mercury.
"I like dressing like a guy. I love it," she told Interview magazine in 1984. "The future is no sex. You can be a boy, a girl, whatever you want.”
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| Grace Jones |
Gianni Versace fashion designer. Known to be Gay. 5 known mutables. Sagittarius Sun and Mars. North Node & Uranus in Gemini. Venus-Jupiter in Scorpio. Uranus opposite Mars.
Ellen DeGeneres performer/comedian. Known to be Gay. Scorpio Jupiter-Neptune-North Node all square Aquarius Sun. 3 mutables. Mars in Sagittarius. Neptune in Scorpio expresses through Pisces ascendant. Uranus opposes Aquarius Sun & Venus
Variations on a Theme
The non-binary option: Kate Bornstein Born March 15 1948
Kate is a self-described "gender non-conformist " born male feels neither male/female. Attracted to women. Sex reassignment 1986.
Part of lesbian community and living with female partner
Sun Jupiter Uranus in mutable T-square in Pisces Sagittarius Gemini
Multiple chromosome variants exist beyond the XX XY standard for female and male. But anyone born with a Y chromosome is biologically male at birth.
Most variants result in developmental and a variety of health issues.
This chromosome variant example - male to female.
Caroline born Barry Cossey born 31/8/1954 with a published birth time.
The link provided allows you to read an online excerpt from Caroline's own account of her life.
XXXY chromsome - a rare variant of Klinefelter's Syndrome.
Transitioned chemically and surgically by age 20.
Caroline's story is a great read,
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| Caroline aged 60 |
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| Caroline alternate cover pic for 1991 book |
Caroline Cossey Birth Chart
Mutable sign axes with 'twin identity" Gemini at the MC
Essentially the key to the chart is the mutliple aspects to Venus -and Venus-Neptune.
Pluto Neptune Uranus - as well as Jupiter & Chiron - all aspect Venus.
Mutable Sun Mercury in mutable 12th.
Liberation urges (Uranus-Jupiter) express via the female energy Cancer.
South Node [past consciousness] in Cancer.
Moon receives intense pressure in addition from semisquare to Pluto.
There's always a big story of pressured growth/development in the life of people with multiple factors positioned in a narrow band of degrees.
Caroline has planets at 21-23-24-25 degrees all synergising
Loren Cameron photographer
Female to male
5 mutables
Sun Moon Venus Mars Pluto
Sun conjunct Pluto in Virgo Both sextile Neptune
Uranus conjunct Mercury
Mars in Virgo sextile Jupiter in Scorpio
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| Loren Cameron |
Author's Statement
This post raises some points of investigation re gender fluidity and transition in the context of a range of behaviours that can be seen as fitting a profile of normality when considering the broader spectrum of human behaviour.
While this is not presented as a long-term study there are factors identified that can explain the type of energy profile [as identified by astrology] that gives a higher potential drive to change from one gender or sex to another -to whatever degree is demanded by those energy drives.
It is clear that the options are latent or blatant - overt or covert - and that some must follow the inner pressures to make a 100% transition -while others - most likely a very high majority in any cultural context that enables diversity of expression - will embody a physical presentation life-long that does not truly match their self perception and inner life.
Addendum April 2024: By 2024 with the upsurge in transitioning both of youth and adult age persons across the Western world in particular it can be seen that powerfully influential forces are funding and benefitting financially from the outflow of this phenomenon.
Multifactorial contributors are always in the mix in such a significant societal event.
One further influence in the bigger picture framework is based in the past life lineage of those currently incarnated. It is worth considering why predominantly males seek to transition. Was their past life lineage repeatedly female and therefore an enduring identity attachment? Or are these men of long lineage who need to experience life from the perspective of being a female in male dominated society? Answers to questions like these are elusive while interesting to ponder.
In the selection of factors regarded as relevant tight angles within 3 degrees seem significant in “forcing” the expression of change to manifest.
In general I don't place much emphasis on connections that are over 5 degrees apart though wider than 3 degree connections may be apparent in those who feel much less pressure to change.
The Profiler [very endowed with Mutable energy & several relevant factors] while acknowledging gender fluidity & having been primarily drawn towards same sex attractions -sees the potential - but often unclarified -roles played by chromosome variants, hormonal balance and social conditioning in modifying behavioural choices.
Most people will never know the primary factors driving their position on the gender fluidity spectrum but astrology can provides insights into factors that acknowledge the psychological pressures that underlie asserting a particular place on that spectrum.
