To the men I might want to date some day: stop reading now. I’m a Gemini sun, Scorpio moon, Virgo rising. In layman’s terms, this means I’m generally outgoing, sociable and organised but with a propensity to ruminate. It also means that, like everyone else with a birthday, I’m more compatible with some star signs than others. Leos are great, alongside Aquarians and Libras, mostly because they can match and complement my energy. Virgos can work, too, as can Sagittarians.
Feline friends aside, Scorpios are an absolute no, which I learnt the hard way after dating one for four years. It was only after we broke up that I realised how incompatible we were, astrologically and otherwise. Imagine all the time and anguish I could’ve saved myself had I recognised that sooner. Facetiousness aside, I do believe everything I’ve read about astrological compatibility has rung true in my love life. The Capricorn I dated last year really was a little too quiet for me, and the Cancer I met on Hinge described me as “completely bonkers” on our second date. There was not a third date.
My friends abide by this, too; the second one of us starts dating someone new, we always ask about their star sign. One was so badly burned by a Sagittarius that when I told her I’d started dating one a few years ago, she rattled through the list of things I’d find difficult about him. “He’ll always be looking for the next thing and won’t ever want to sit still because it will make him feel trapped and he always needs to feel free,” she told me. “He’ll barely commit to a date let alone a relationship. Run a mile.” I scoffed at first, but a few weeks later, she was proven right – we also believe she might be psychic, but that’s another article entirely.
I don’t believe in being so prescriptive that I would never go out with someone purely because of their star sign. And I’m aware that a lot of stereotypes around certain astrological signs are ludicrous—see the @notallgeminis Instagram account—but I do think it’s an important thing to ask early on when, let’s face it, all of us are putting our best foot forward in a bid to impress the other person. Knowing their star sign might give you a better idea of who someone really is and how aligned they might be with you. It can also alert you to any potential hurdles, subsequently making you better equipped to handle them when they come up. Cancers, for example, have a tendency to be hyper sensitive. Being aware of this from the outset could help elicit a little more empathy when it becomes apparent.
