posted May 11, 2013 03:18 AM            

Are Leo Rising women divas?

And many would answer with a "yes" or "no" (or at least "almost always"). But let me apply this question to both me and my my mom who are both Leo Risings:

MOM (Leo rising)

Like me she learned growing up that others considered her responsible for the behavior of males and once she realized this wasn't something she could fight she thought, "How can I use this to my advantage instead of being a victim of it?" Furthermore, she held a deeply hidden but intense Scorpio rage at the hypocrisy of males with the power & privilege but not accountability, and also the females who cast her out to make themselves look better (and because once she claimed what she saw as her power they feared losing their own romantic interests to her), so she came to hate and punish men & women both. And since females cast her out she also had to look to men for social support (which her Gemini moon craved) and that meant more sexualized behavior, yet she played men off against each other (and didn't hesitate to use one male to gain revenge or control of other males, and even of females) and used her wiles to control males instead of being controlled, and also took pleasure in stealing a male from a female who looked down on her both for revenge (typically on both boy AND girl, and once she "won" she then delighted in dumping the male to leave them both shamed, if not devastated) and as proof to herself that she was the one in control instead of men AND worth more than the other girls who condemned her because beauty is THE standard by which women are judged (even more so back then).

Her 4H Scorpio mercury (conjunct sun & Neptune) also made her fascinated with psychology which added to her manipulative nature, her Leo Mars encouraged her to exercise control when she felt threatened or condemned, and her Virgo Uranus made her want to get others to take care of the boring details of life as it was beneath her. To help her dreams of marrying rich and becoming glamorous (which appealed to her Leo ascendant, along with other Leo aspects) she studied fashion magazines to become a model (no doubt to marry rich, which she'd never do in her home town). I believe she married my dad was so she could be supported in a city that he was going to anyway to pursue her career (plus revenge against both his family and her own, long story that).

I don't doubt she would've dropped Dad the moment he ceased to be of use to her but in the city she went from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big lake, and as so many stunning & ruthless women sought the same grail she did there were many men in the biz who had the control as each rising star could be easily replaced and so Mom needed Dad longer than she thought...and then she got pregnant with me which ended her career, and though her dreams were never realized, she continues to this day to play men (having no respect for them) and takes great Leonine pride in being worshiped by the men taken by her wiles, and also basks in the hatred of women (as the weak envy the powerful, so their hatred reinforces her view that she's superior to them).

So yeah, she's a diva, rude and condescending, manipulative & demanding, selfish, dramatic, finds her power in looks & seduction, demanding tribute & favors of men and holds other women who can't keep up in contempt. Offhand, I'd say this is how her Leo ascendant has affected her (certainly when younger, still somewhat true today, and gods I LOATHE this song):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IltwqAMjw

ME (Leo rising)

But in my case my powerful Sag placements (along with early life experience) made me an independent child (and taking Leonine pride in "doing it myself" even at the age of 5) which contributed to my getting shunned by girls for years while growing up and a real tomboy (which my mom NEVER was), and also independent (my Uranus was Sag instead of Virgo, which meant I liked doing housework as it made me feel independent, and blended with my powerful Libra energy & Cancer N. Node, unlike Virgo Uranus Mom who gladly used me to deal with all that), and as such I found other ways things to aspire toward than simply getting married or building my self-esteem other than making boys want me.

As I got older I found Sag humor (and independence & optimism) instead of Scorpio plotting when it was my turn to learn that I was responsible for how males behaved toward me, and instead of becoming vengeful & manipulative like Mom I just brushed them off, males & females, focusing on who & what I had going for me and having fun. I found a sense of accomplishment in a skateboard to the point that BOYS nicknamed me "Thrash" (back then skateboarders were called "thrashers," at least out there) which back then was MY pride & honor (though more than a few girls held me in contempt for it).

My Sag Uranus & Libra Pluto (on Scorpio cusp, conjunct my sun & Merc) further encouraged my tomboy ways, though my powerful Libra energies did keep me fairly balanced in my behavior and realized that joy was increased & pain decreased with sharing and thus learned to connect with others, unlike Mom. Males who expected me to be their toy got bucked off of me, the dysfunctional 'rents (and horrid divorce) soured me to the idea of marriage, and seeing how Dad turned on Mom (and ignored restraining orders in violent assaults) made me think depending on a man was stupid. So mixed with menace by other adult males (typically after they did something nice for me so that I "owed" them) my lifelong independent nature was encouraged even further (and I stood up for myself, later taking up martial arts among other things). Now, as an adult, I would never depend on a man, I'd consider it shameful (if not scary) to be at the mercy of one. Like Mom I squeaked by through life, but I did it carrying myself rather than getting a man to carry me.

I remember once that Mom tried to use Dad's shotgun on Dad, but was too drunk and/or ignorant to even switch the safety off, and to my knowledge that's the only time she ever handled a gun (if she wanted one used she'd find a man and get him to use it for her as it would be beneath her and she'd rather have a man take the risks). I, OTOH, don't depend on men (or useless restraining orders) as she did, and am like this with Leonine pride:

I think this song is much closer to how my Leo ascendant has affected me (especially when I was younger, still somewhat true today, and a lot of those images also match up with my Sag energy & teen years):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrDA5-uD01g

quote:

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We are girls with skinned knees, we are concrete and grace
We are not what you think, you can't keep us in our place

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quote:

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We are fire inside, we are an army asleep
We are a people awaking to follow their dreams
We don't have time for your games
We have our own goals to score
There are trophies to win instead of being one of yours

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Mom doesn't get me at all. I don't have a man or use men, I take care of myself, and not only do I feel a lack of shame for not making men my pawns but I'm PROUD of it. What would really shock her is that I even carried a male (put a roof over his head, etc) just because I liked him (spoiled him rotten, though I did give him chores & errands to do), and he was closer to being a diva than me.

And just as she holds me in contempt for failing to get a man to take care of me I consider her ways sad and on the whorish side and I'm as unimpressed with her ability to get men to take care of her as I am a grown man able to get his mom to do the same for him (and I wouldn't consider any man she can subdue/seduce to be worthy of me anyway). There we are, both with Leo Risings, proud in our abilities & ways, and yet pity the other.

So back to the question: Are Leo Rising women divas?

Mom is, I'm not. The other placements make all the difference.

Of course we both have the energy, so it's not that "it doesn't matter then" as some try to make it out to be whenever someone points out these nuances. We both manipulate our own fashions & decor to our liking in often intriguing ways that make us stand out (not that we dress anywhere alike) and both of us have been described as a bit feline in how we move and even look at someone. As kids we both did love attention (her for sex appeal and me for prowess with a skateboard), we both seek control (but I with others and from within and she over others and getting men to use their power on her behalf), dignified (though our definitions of dignified are radically different), sometimes refusing to back down even though we're just hurting ourselves with our stubborn pride, have a charismatic demeanor & bearing (though our preferred audience is different), and enjoy some of the finer things (but mine reflect my interests and take special pride in what I make for myself or has a story behind it whereas she wants the name brands that you'd find advertised).

posted May 11, 2013 07:42 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by PixieJane:
I think a lot of people don't understand just how dependent on placement is on all the other placements . . .

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