Many characteristics within astrology are highly symmetrical and balanced. For example, there is one day luminary - the Sun, and one night luminary - the Moon. There are also two planets that are considered benefics and two that are malefics. Within the Whole Sign house system of astrology, each house in a chart occupies an equal amount of space consisting of 30 degrees. You'll start to notice here that many of these divisions are possible through even numbers. However there is one quality of the planets' that astrology does not evenly divide, and that is the implied genders of the planets. The Sun and Moon are luminaries which respectively help to represent the divine masculine and the divine feminine. The inner planets have genders as well with Mars helping to serve as the celestial representation of men, and Venus, women. Mercury, in its mercurial ways, is queer in identity and can be thought of as nonbinary or gender fluid. That then leaves us with Jupiter and Saturn when it comes to our inner solar system. These planets respectively serve as our greater benefic and greater malefic. And this is where the inherent balance that exists within most of astrology breaks down. Because historically, both of these planets are associated with the divine masculine. Although in reflecting on the qualities of Saturn, especially in my own natal chart, I have come to the conclusion that Saturn has been misgendered.

Saturn is the planet that sits on the outer edge of our inner solar system, acting as the door to the much more distant and mysterious outer solar system. Positioned within this liminal space, Saturn's energetic qualities as a planet become associated with the ability to materialize ideas into existence. In other words, Saturn is the one who alchemizes spirit into the body and births thoughts into tangible forms. Mothers embody this same power.

Saturn is often anthropomorphized as a strict parent. The one who will tell you "no" repeatedly until they feel you have grown enough and earned enough responsibility to finally hear "yes." When I've asked others which parent they considered to be the strict one growing up, the answer I have consistently heard in reply was their Mother. I know that this is true in the case of my birth family, and I can see a similar dynamic manifesting within the roles that my husband and I both naturally assume in raising our two children. Although in all transparency, I am inherently prone to being Saturnine with an exalted Saturn positioned in my 1st House of self.

"A Portrait of the Artist and Her Stelliums," acrylic on arched canvas, 2023.

This then leads me to wonder why Saturn became misgendered in the first place. Each planet has its own special powers that carry their own qualities. However, there are some planets that seemingly wield a greater force behind their power than others. Generally speaking, planets with larger orbits that therefore take much longer to journey around our solar system, are thought to carry a greater amount of power than those that are faster moving. Because deep and lasting power moves slowly. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Of the planets that make up our inner solar system, it is Saturn that is the slowest moving. It should therefore be no surprise that the concept of a Saturn Return has found its way into mainstream vernacular as the effects of this transit on one's life are often undeniable. In other words, Saturn is not soft spoken.

It is no secret that many of the systems in our world today once originated through men as they were often the only ones to be given the freedom and access to develop the ideas by which our society now lives by. We live in a patriarchal society. Astrology has a similar, patriarchal heritage. The most notable astrologers in ancient history who have surviving texts, were all men. Modern day astrologer Chris Brennan has made a concerted effort to try and identify more women astrologers throughout history. His latest research has identified a Greco-Roman woman by the name of Heliodora who may have been one of the world's first female astrologers. However, she is believed to have lived around the 2nd or 3rd Century CE, which would have roughly been about 3 to 4 centuries after the birth of astrology within ancient Mesopotamia.

I am now imagining these ancient, male astrologers, who at the time were not even aware of the outer planets, recognizing the strength and magnitude of Saturn and deciding that such power should naturally be ascribed to a man. The thought of assigning such consequential power to women is simply incongruent to a patriarchal society. It's almost as if a group of men decided to usurp Saturn's divine feminine power and assign it to themselves. It's a scenario that is not too far fetched to imagine given how blatantly women continue to be stripped of their rights and therefore power, even to this day. 

I want to leave you with one last reason why I have become convinced that Saturn is female. In going back to the balanced systems that exist throughout much of astrology, there are thought to be not just a greater malefic and benefic, but a lesser malefic and benefic as well in our inner solar system. The benefic planets are Jupiter and Venus - which evenly represent men and women. However when it comes to the malefics - Saturn and Mars - these planets are both supposed to embody masculine powers. So then, there is just no female, malefic planet? That makes no sense, especially within a highly calculated and symmetrical system. I suppose I should feel flattered to not have a malefic planet associated with my sex, but at the same time, it feels exclusionary. It's an injustice that the feminist in me can't ignore. I have Saturn in Libra after all, and she demands balance.

I therefore call upon all modern day astrologers and ask that we embrace Saturn's true gender and recognize her power as belonging to the divine feminine.