Introduction I don''t believe in astrology; I''m a sagittarian and we''re skeptical. -- Sir Arthur C. Clarke The come-on line that launched a thousand possibilities would have to be "Hey, babe, what''s your sign?" I must admit that I have used that old trick a thousand times, but unlike some less discerning women, I always listen very carefully for the answer. After reading this book, you will too. This handy-dandy volume of sun sign astrology is written expressly for women who love women but who also have to work, save money, grapple with personal challenges, deal with family and surly neighbors, welcome joy and prosperity, face defeat and awful bosses and perhaps even raise a brood of children who may change the world. It''s for "fems," "butches," "lipstick lesbians," "drag kings," and women who refuse to be labeled (like those confounded Aquarians). Under all the exteriors, the lace and the leather, the buffed and the baggy, we are all the same, striving to make sense of our place in the world. Here is fair warning: Sun sign astrology is a simplistic first-step approach to a complete astrological personality analysis.

This book is full of blatantly crass generalizations as well as a few derogatory snippets thrown in for humorous effect. Disclaimer: This book is for entertainment purposes only, so lighten up, girlfriend! Let''s face it, not all Aries are bullies, not all Taureans are stubborn and crude, not all Gemini are shallow and false, not all Cancers are moody, oversensitive whiners, not all Leos are overbearing and vain, not all Virgos are sniveling hypochondriacs, not all Libras are ineffective lightweights, not all Scorpios are deadly connivers, not all Sagittarians are clumsy louts with gross and disgusting table manners, not all Capricorns are morose corporate sellouts, not all Aquarians are cold-blooded opportunists and not all Pisces are using sychophants. Some Aries are actually altruistic, mighty Aphrodite warriors, Taureans sensuous, cuddly bosom buddies, Gemini brilliant conversationalists, Cancers warm and nurturing full-bodied mamas, Leos generously gallant, Virgos sacrificing and magnanimous, Libras delightful, attractive companions, Scorpios zesty, experimental lovergrrls, Sagittarians jolly, fun-loving adventurers, Capricorns sentimental and forgiving compadres, "Aqueerians" all-giving, enlightened torch bearers and Pisces intuitive, romantic beauties. But do we ever get to meet them at the local dyke site? Probably not tonight, Irene! A careful reading of HerScopes might very well teach you something valuable about yourself and your life. An added benefit: It can also reveal things about that mysterious babe you''ve been eyeing from across the produce counter. Go on, sister, ask her."What''s your sign?" Your Sun Sign Our sun sign is the most important component of our astrological chart and gives us insight into our basic personality. It is who we are and who we strive to be.

It''s the clothes we wear to give the world a glimpse of our personal style, preferences and tastes. Do we like to draw attention to ourselves? Are we prim and proper? Do we drape ourselves in haute couture while wearing underwear from before the flood? Obviously some of us are precise, unassuming, tasteful or bold and some of us are dreadful slobs (no names, please.Sagittarius!). It''s fairly common knowledge that there are twelve signs of the zodiac, but let''s list them anyway. ardSign / Symbol / Birthdates Aries / The Ram / March 21-April 19 Taurus / The Bull / April 20-May 20 Gemini / The Twins / May 21-June 21 Cancer / The Crab / June 22-July 22 Leo / The Lion / July 23-August 22 Virgo / The Virgin / August 23-September 22 Libra / The Scales / September 23-October 23 Scorpio / The Scorpion / October 24-November 22 Sagittarius / The Centaur / November 23-December 22 Capricorn / The Goat / December 23-January 20 Aquarius / The Water Carrier / January 21-February 19 Pisces / The Fish / February 20-March 20 For the benefit of those fatalistic Piscean fems who like to read volumes into every little Post-it Note and to satisfy your curiosity, 12 really is a rather mystical number. It should come as no surprise that there are: 12 zodiacal signs 12 months in a year 12 tribes of Israel 12 disciples of Christ 12 inches in a foot 12 items in a dozen 12 times that you have to tell a Gemini to get her feet off the furniture.you get the idea. Each sign is categorized by an element and a mode.

Elements describe your state of being, whether you are a fire starter, full of hot air, all wet or solid like a rock. Modes indicate how tolerant of change you are or how much action you can take. I''ll explain further. There are four elements: fire, air, water and earth. Each sign is associated with one of these four elements. For example, fire signs are enthusiastic, energetic, extroverted, courageous and action oriented. They inspire others and heat up a room with their personal warmth. These zesty girlfriends are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

Air signs are intellectual, friendly, sociable and conceptually oriented but a bit removed in their approach to others. Don''t try to probe their feelings; they ain''t gonna let it happen. These charming yet logical women are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Water signs are fluid, intuitive, comforting and emotionally oriented. They are the ones you want to cuddle with on a rainy night but avoid when the moon is full and they become Ms. Hydes. These introverted, sensitive babes are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Earth signs are no-nonsense, stable, purposeful, physical and process oriented.

They really seem to care about what others think of them and are the first ones to help any galpal when her life turns to sludge. These practical girlfriends are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Old-time astrology books tend to match fire with air (air invigorates fire) and water with earth (water nourishes earth) but these are ridiculously wonky generalizations that will only prevent you from getting to know some pretty special gals a bit better. Each sign also has its own mode. There are three of them: cardinal, mutable and fixed. Cardinal signs are pushy broads whose raison d''etre is to create change, upend the landscape and move things along in whatever direction takes their fancy. They don''t wait for the director to yell "action." They are action personified.

Honey, you know the type. In case you were wondering, the Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Fixed signs are at the other end of the spectrum, resisting change or trying to solidify and create stasis around changing conditions. They are the ones who say, "Hold on a minute. Let''s catch our breath and see where we are." They can be immovable like a rock, but like a rock, when they start to move, get out of the way! The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Mutable signs are flexible souls, going with the flow and adapting to new challenges and situations. They are like the big oak that bends in the breeze but doesn''t crack in half.

The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. Each sign has its own particular combination of element and mode. For example, the only fire/cardinal sign is Aries and the only fixed/water sign is Scorpio. Therefore, it is easy to get a thumbnail sketch of any alluring siren at the bar by simply checking the chart below. Consider this your quick cheat sheet as you buy her another drink and delve deeper. Sign / Element / Mode Aries / Fire -- courageous / Cardinal -- pushy Taurus / Earth -- stable / Fixed -- sedate Gemini / Air -- intellectual / Mutable -- changeable Cancer / Water -- emotional / Cardinal -- energetic Leo / Fire -- outgoing / Fixed -- conforming Virgo / Earth -- process oriented / Mutable -- adaptive Libra / Air -- sociable / Cardinal -- active Scorpio / Water -- intuitive / Fixed -- immovable Sagittarius / Fire -- enthusiastic / Mutable -- flexible Capricorn / Earth -- constructive / Cardinal -- action oriented Aquarius / Air -- idealistic / Fixed -- stubborn Pisces / Water -- psychic / Mutable -- chameleon-like Again, repeat after me, "Hey, babe, what''s your sign?" then furtively glance at this chart when she replies. A final word on the sun sign: If you are a Cancer born on July 22 but feel more like a splashy Leo than a moist Crab, maybe you are indeed born under the sign of the proud Lion. What year were you born? You see, the sun changes signs every thirty to thirty-two days, shifting boundaries from one sign to another from year to year.

This is why, if you were born "on the cusp" (two to three days before the end or the beginning of a sign), you may find that your sun sign varies from astrology book to astrology book, depending upon what year the book was written. Do yourself a favor if you are a cusp girl and either contact an astrologer or a local astrology school, or check an ephemeris book for your particular birth year. An ephemeris maps the movement of the planets through the signs on a daily basis for every year. It''s the only way to know for sure what sign you really are. To make your life easier, each sign chapter ends with a page describing the personality of t.