The release of the first photos of Caitlyn Jenner on June 1, 2015 with the “Vanity Fair” cover created a global sensation, as perhaps the most widely publicized transgender individual since Renee Richards in the 1970s. Rumors that the former Olympic decathlon champion, “Wheaties” cereal box model and reality TV star born Bruce Jenner was transitioning to female had been rife for years, and Jenner had confirmed his intent in an exclusive two-hour interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in April.
But a picture is worth a thousand words, and the impact of the roll-out of Caitlyn Jenner rivaled even the coverage of the ever-burgeoning 2016 presidential field and the ISIS crisis in the Middle East.
Perhaps the most stunning feature of the sky that day was the exact (within 10 arc seconds) square to Uranus, planet of shocks, surprises and revelations, as well as owning one’s individualism and authentic self, from … wait for it… asteroid Caitlinmann! Oh, come now! How much sense of humor can the cosmos contain? Asteroid CaitlinMANN prominent on the day someone born a man reveals her new identity as a woman named Caitlyn?
I must admit, I’ve been on the fence about how to use and interpret PNAs which contain full names (split them and increase their applicability, or keep them whole and limit their usage?), but I never envisioned such an apt pairing and how that might play out on planet Earth!
The rest of the sky colludes, as always, and Jenner’s birth chart has its own story to tell. Let’s tackle the day of the big reveal first.
That the former Bruce Jenner might be a focal feature of the day is easy to see in the Sun’s exact opposition from 10 Gemini to asteroid Brucia (for Bruce) at 10 Sagittarius. Jenner may have jettisoned his former identity, but the cosmos hasn’t! Close beside Brucia is asteroid Photographica at 12 Sagittarius, clearly showing the source of the media feeding frenzy; Jenner had revealed his plans weeks before, but it was this new image (Photographica) that created the sensation.
Traveling with the Sun were Mercury at 7 Gemini retrograde, and Mars at 14 Gemini. Mercury identifies this as a day for big news (as well as highlighting print media specifically), and its retrograde status signals that this will not be a totally new matter, but one we’ve gone into before. Mercury’s connections to androgyny flavor the story, and Mars establishes sexuality as a theme, while also bringing in elements of Jenner as a former athlete and sports figure.
Refining that picture further are asteroids Sappho and Eros at 12 and 13 Gemini, right in the middle of the Gemini stellium. Both have connections with LGBT issues, bringing in that energy to the story. Sappho is named for an ancient Greek poet and lesbian (in fact, the derivation of the term, as a resident of Lesbos), while Eros, as well as representing passion generally, was the acknowledged patron of homosexual unions in the Hellenistic period.
Forming a T-Square with this basic Sun/Brucia polarity is Neptune at 9 Pisces. Neptune rules amorphous, indistinct or fluid situations, feelings and circumstances, in much the way Jenner’s transition is proceeding from male to female. It also rules confusion, an important keyword in the story which here symbolizes both Jenner’s innate gender confusion, born male but with an internal self-identity as female, and the reaction of a large portion of the population when confronted with her choices and new image. Lastly, Neptune’s affinity with television identifies Jenner as a reality TV star, both in his former role on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and in the upcoming “I Am Cait” docu-series on her transition.
Caitlinmann at 19 Capricorn, in addition to its square to Uranus at 19 Aries, is within orb of Pluto at 15 Capricorn, representing major change and transformation, and also ties to asteroid Kassandra at 14 Capricorn, which equates to credibility issues and speaking one’s truth, remaining authentic to oneself despite public opposition or ridicule. A second variant of “Caitlyn”, asteroid Kaitlinmaria, appears at 16 Aries, conjunct Uranus and in close square to Pluto.
Asteroid Jenner is prominent also; at 23 Sagittarius it is exactly conjunct Pallas and within orb of the Galactic Center at 27 Sagittarius, a point which, when activated, confers global notice or attention, something Jenner’s new look certainly garnered. Jenner had come to its retrograde station in even closer conjunction with the GC, from 28 Sagittarius, on April 29, just five days after the Diane Sawyer interview which first propelled Jenner’s choice into international prominence.
Pallas’ involvement can be seen here in two ways—first, in the area of name change. Pallas is a secondary name chosen by the goddess Athena after she inadvertently killed the daughter of her mentor in a competition, in an attempt to honor her. Pallas also has a “sexless” quality about it, partially rooted in Athena’s asexual origins, born as an adult in full armor when she burst from the head of Zeus. Jenner now finds herself in a similar “asexual” situation, somewhat “between” genders and unable to clearly articulate to Sawyer what her sexuality will be as a woman.
How does this transformation figure into her core identity, celestially speaking?
PNAs which represent the native are often to be found in prominent placement in one’s own nativity, conjoined or in major aspect to the Sun, our core being; the Moon, our ancestral or family heritage; or the Ascendant, how we present ourselves to the world. Born 6:16 AM on 28 October 1949 in Mount Cisco, NY (Rodden rating AA), Jenner is no exception, with asteroid Jenner at 5 Leo squared the Ascendant at 2 Scorpio and the Sun at 4 Scorpio, and opposing the Moon at 1 Aquarius. His surname is firmly tapped into each of the three major points which define us.
Asteroid Brucia is also well connected, but by weaker aspects, as if the clarity of the surname is missing, betraying a lack of conviction in the name. At 2 Capricorn, it is sextile the Sun/Ascendant conjunction, semisextile the Moon, trine Mars at 0 Virgo, and opposed Uranus at 4 Cancer. The dominant aspect here is the opposition to Uranus, which defines Bruce as a rebel, an outsider, one who dances to the beat of a different drummer but must remain true to his authentic self, even if that discomfits, upsets, or shocks others.
If the name he was given at birth seems less than confident, the name Jenner chose is dramatically displayed throughout the chart. Asteroid Kaitlinmaria at 7 Leo conjoins asteroid Jenner, uniting Jenner’s old identity with her new one, and thus also squares the Sun and Ascendant and opposes the Moon. The latter is conjoined by another Caitlyn variant, asteroid Kaitlingus at 5 Aquarius, exactly opposing Jenner.
Not to be outdone, a third variant, asteroid Kaitlynshin, falls at 15 Libra, exactly conjunct natal Neptune and within orb of Mercury at 19 Libra. The exact pairing with Neptune here is significant, elevating “Caitlyn” as Jenner’s idealized self-image, his perfect fantasy of what he truly is. Mercury rules the naming function, so is also appropriately connected to the name Caitlyn Jenner chose to express herself.
Oddly, Caitlinmann, which made such an impressive showing for the big reveal, plays a lesser role in the nativity. At 23 Scorpio, it’s in a wide square to Pluto at 18 Leo, that font of deep transformation and self-empowerment, but it also squares asteroid Sappho, with its LGBT implications, at 25 Leo. And when the “Vanity Fair” cover was released, natal Caitlinmann was being opposed by two Caitlyn variants, Kaitlynshin and Kaitlingus, at 24 and 29 Taurus respectively, ramping up the celestial Caitlyn energy to fever pitch for the day.
The most significant interaction between the natal and transit charts, however, is the overlay of the days’ Sun/Brucia opposition with a natal polarity comprised of asteroids Atropos and Osiris at 10 Gemini, with Panacea at 11 Gemini, and TNO Borasisi at 11 Sagittarius. Atropos and Osiris, as death-related asteroids, are symbols of endings and change, while Panacea represents a palliative, a cure-all for whatever ails one. Borasisi connects to lies and falseness, and it’s intriguing to note that on that day, Bruce Jenner (Brucia) finally brought an end (Atropos/Osiris) to what he described as “living a lie” (Borasisi), attempting to heal himself (Panacea) in such a highly public, spotlighted (Sun) way.
Jenner stated in the Sawyer interview that he is not gay, which begs the question, is she now, as a woman, lesbian? Jenner was unable to define his sexuality in the interview, but his chart does point strongly to identification with LGBT issues. The Sun is conjoined by asteroid Ganymed, named for Zeus’ cupbearer and boy-toy lover, at 0 Scorpio; and Eros, with its ancient LGBT implications, appears at 5 Aquarius, squared Sun/Ascendant, conjoined the Moon, and exactly opposed Jenner. Other indicators of atypical sexual/intimate responses include Venus at 20 Sagittarius squared Saturn at 16 Virgo, suggesting blocks to intimacy, difficulties with stable relationships (Jenner has been married and divorced three times) and an innate conflict between traditional feminine and masculine roles. Outer planet contacts to Venus or Mars can also suggest LGBT themes, and Jenner’s Venus trines Pluto, while Mars trines Uranus, though typically it is harder aspects which manifest as alternate lifestyles.
Before wishing Bruce a fond farewell, and welcoming Caitlyn to the world, let’s pause a moment and reflect on Jenner’s Olympic success. Two asteroids represent the Olympic games, Olympia, named for the Greek mountain and home of the gods in whose honor the games were first held, and Olympiada, named specifically in honor of the modern games themselves.
Jenner’s natal Olympia at 16 Sagittarius conjoins Venus at 20 Sagittarius, and exactly squares Saturn at 16 Virgo. The Venus connection identifies the Olympics as a potential source of Jenner’s popularity and financial stability. Saturn in contact shows a potential for career success or advancement via the Olympics. Olympiada at 29 Taurus squares natal Mars at 2 Virgo, linking Jenner’s sports ability and athleticism directly to the games. There is a loose Yod, or Finger of Destiny, formed by Olympiada at its apex, inconjunct to both the Sun at 4 Scorpio and Brucia at 2 Capricorn, suggesting a fated circumstance for Bruce Jenner in his involvement with the most highly publicized international sporting events of our era.
When Jenner won the decathlon and set a new world record on July 30, 1976 at the Montreal Summer Olympics, asteroids Olympiada and Jenner were broadly conjunct at 12 and 19 Aquarius, with Jenner opposing the Sun at 7 Leo, singling him out as focal to the day’s events in the Olympic setting. Asteroid Jenner had also recently crossed the natal IC at 9 Aquarius, suggesting the period was foundational for Jenner, and with the transit Sun conjunct natal Jenner and his natal MC, he had reached the apex of his ambition and public standing. Transit Jupiter at 27 Taurus was conjunct natal Olympiada, granting Jenner enhanced reputation and boosting his prospects, via the medium of the games, as well as ensuring his successful performance at them.
Transit Olympia at 12 Aries opposed Jenner’s natal Neptune at 15 Libra, suggesting the upcoming apotheosis and semi-divine status attained by Jenner in the aftermath of his Olympic success, when his face and form adorned countless boxes of Wheaties breakfast cereal, defining him as the athletic ideal (Neptune) for a generation of American children.
The icing on the celestial cake was transit Brucia at 19 Cancer conjoined Victoria, named for the Roman goddess of victory, at 15 Cancer, both further activating natal Neptune by square. Transit Nike at 23 Libra, named for Victoria’s mythic Greek counterpart, exactly squared Jenner’s natal asteroid Montreal, the venue for the games, at 23 Capricorn, with natal Nike at 5 Cancer sextile transit Montreal at 6 Virgo, conjunct Jenner’s natal Mars, ruling sport and competition.
In many ways, Jenner’s stunning metamorphosis continues, from male to female, Olympic sports legend to LGBT icon. We can only hope that in her new form, Caitlyn finds the peace and self-acceptance she has always craved.
Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .
I am always amused at the popularity of the name “Caitlin” these days, pronounced Kayt…lin, when actually its an Anglicized or corrupted version of the Irish name Kathleen. Since “th” is difficult for many languages, it comes out often as “Katleen” which is way more beautiful. I’ve taught several little girls that they had a “secret name” and taught them how to say it the Irish way. One definition of Kathleen is pure, chaste. Perhaps that’s a clue from the original name as to how Caitlin Jenner might go. Thanks for all the great detail on Caitlin asteroids Alex.