Madame Lichtenstein's ancestors include her great aunt, Etta Weimar, 'famous Romanian card reader to royalty' (auntyish Saturn, which rules Madame's Sixth House of symbols and reading, is found on her IC -- the angle which indicates one's geneology). Educated in Europe -- where she studied tarot and astrology -- Lichtenstein returned to her native New York city in 1974 (as transiting Neptune in Sagittarius conjuncted her Ascendant ruler, the Sun, in her Fourth House of home life and places of settlement). Charlene Lichtenstein's astrology book -- HerScopes (A Guide to Astrology for Lesbians) -- was published in June 2000 as Uranus (the planet associated with astrology) crossed her 7th House cusp (the house related to relationships) in the sign of Aquarius (which Uranus itself rules) at the degree that also happens to be the midpoint between her Moon and Mars (the respective rulers of her esoteric Twelfth House & her Ninth House of publishing). Following in the stellar footsteps of Love Signs (by straight astrologer, Linda Goodman), HerScopes provides (as the blurb so succintly puts it), "a comprehensive guide to the zodiac that is infused with wit, wisdom, and a nod to all that makes lesbian life unique." That special nod is an expression of the mutual reception between Uranus in Cancer and Moon in Aquarius in her chart; this part of her astrological signature shining brilliantly through her book. As one of the foremost astrologers in the gay and lesbian media (and way more out than the mysterious "Aurora" who wrote Lesbian Love Signs in a less visibly queer age), Charlene Lichtenstein sums up her personality thus, "I'm Sagittarius, Moon in Aquarius and Leo Ascendant. Big mouth, big ideas, big ego." And she adds, "let's not go there." This bright barb is no doubt courtesy of her feisty Pluto that rises in sunny and dramatic Leo! However, do go near her book, indeed get really close to it!! Not just because it's a profound expression of her Mercury in Scorpio (squared and disposited by Pluto in Leo, and sextiled by Chiron in Capricorn) but also because HerScopes offers a deep (but easily-readable) and entertaining astro-analysis of potentials for love, health and business success between lesbians of the various Sun Signs. There are "vital statistics" for each Sun Sign as well as lists of celebrities (dykes, dyke icons and a few others) born on each day, and close-up focus on several women (Lucy Lawless, Sandra Bernhard, Bette Midler, Ellen DeGeneres, Chastity Bono...). Oh, and some great quotes, like this from Oscar Wilde: "Nothing exceeds like excess." Somehow I think Charlene might like that quote because the Sun in Sagittarius rules her Leo Ascendant!! Even so, we all have the Sun in one of the twelve Signs, and the delineations of these Signs in HerScopes provide plenty of informative humour for the curious lesbian reader (and anybody else for that matter)! |
© 1999+, 2011
all rights reserved in all media