Awkward! Handling People Who Ask Your Astrological Sign

Awkward! What's Your Sign?

November 20, 2009

"What's your sign?" This might be the most direct way to find out a person's astrological sign, but often the curiosity is disguised by less ugh-inducing words. "When's your birthday?" is what I often hear. "So you're a Pisces? Aries?" And then, inevitably, silence. Quietly judging silence.

The last time this happened to me, I fired back with, "What does that mean to you?" I never got an answer. Why ask the question if it's not going to segue into a new discussion?

Don't get me wrong — I read my horoscope almost every day, so it's not like I don't want to believe. It's just that I wouldn't use astrology as a tactic to get to know someone or, worse, seek a rationale behind someone's actions. Do sign seekers, overt or covert, ever make you want to unleash some Scorpio-style wrath?

(By the way — if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)

Source: Flickr User Leo Reynolds

48 Comments

dikke kus 2 years

Its all in fun. But if someone is asking me on a first date I would think its sort of ridiculous. I would probably make them guess a million times until they give up. Or lie and say I'm a Leo or a Capricorn just to play with their minds. That way they can't make any judgments before they get to know me. If anything a Meyers Briggs personality test would do them better however my results are on a need to know basis only and very few people need to know. I don't know how, but sometimes the horoscope traits do fit the bill. According to the horoscopes its too bad I never met a Scorpio pilot. Oh well, according to the horoscopes Cancers are never lonely and I can't remember ever being lonely very long. Like I said, its all in fun.

Lenay 2 years

Anyone trying to use "What's your sign?" as a pick-up line or a way to get to know someone in the 21st century is just an idiot and should probably be avoided. I happen to believe in astrology to a certain degree, only because I've noticed that most office workers seem to have summer birthdays (I don't ask. The company posts employee birthdays on a community bulletin board.) and those in manual labor positions tend to have fall and early winter birthdays. I can only assume that those with birthdays in the spring are soccor moms and loyal members of the Martha Stewart fan club. None of them have ever been a coworker of mine. Anyway, I've only asked a person's sign twice in my life, and both times it was to people I couldn't stand. (I tend to attract Virgos who like to cause problems for me.) No sane person who actually LIKES you will ask that question. So no worries on the asnwer.

oZzKk 2 years

my boyfriend is soo guilty of this.. he totally tries to guess.. yeah sometimes he picks em and it seems like Wow he knows, but when he doesnt it just is awkward cos it turns out its just a Guess and he doesnt know ... the only sign i can pick is a leo cos he is such a typical leo. if u ask him he would reply 'no that isnt true, i've changed all the qualities i dislike about being a leo' ; pff Typical leo thing to say actually...And I'm a pisces.. well...... this means i have abit of all the signs in me so technically i could be anything :P

oZzKk 2 years

my boyfriend is soo guilty of this.. he totally tries to guess.. yeah sometimes he picks em and it seems like Wow he knows, but when he doesnt it just is awkward cos it turns out its just a Guess and he doesnt know ... the only sign i can pick is a leo cos he is such a typical leo. if u ask him he would reply 'no that isnt true, i've changed all the qualities i dislike about being a leo' ; pff Typical leo thing to say actually... And I'm a pisces.. well...... this means i have abit of all the signs in me so technically i could be anything :P

Girl Jen 3 years

I can DEFINITELY see the appeal of asking someone's astrological sign as a way to get to know them. It's like having the Cliffs Notes! Hearing "I'm a Virgo" can clue the asker in to the fact that he or she is probably dealing with someone down-to-earth and persnickety who is not likely to seek out the spotlight. Of course it won't give a person's life story, and it will leave out many facets of his or her personality, but it gives a little hint.Even if the person fires back with a remark about how he or she doesn't believe in astrology, the asker has just learned something about that person.Just like any other remotely personal question, it may be received well or it may be received badly. Someone who answers these questions with a catty remark obviously does not want to share information or be friends. When a person asks me about my sign or my birthday, I see it as a sign of interest. If that person is having a conversation with my face and using friendly body language, I say, "Virgo." If that person is having a conversation with my chest or getting too close to me, I say, "Do not enter."

Girl Jen 3 years

I can DEFINITELY see the appeal of asking someone's astrological sign as a way to get to know them. It's like having the Cliffs Notes! Hearing "I'm a Virgo" can clue the asker in to the fact that he or she is probably dealing with someone down-to-earth and persnickety who is not likely to seek out the spotlight. Of course it won't give a person's life story, and it will leave out many facets of his or her personality, but it gives a little hint. Even if the person fires back with a remark about how he or she doesn't believe in astrology, the asker has just learned something about that person. Just like any other remotely personal question, it may be received well or it may be received badly. Someone who answers these questions with a catty remark obviously does not want to share information or be friends. When a person asks me about my sign or my birthday, I see it as a sign of interest. If that person is having a conversation with my face and using friendly body language, I say, "Virgo." If that person is having a conversation with my chest or getting too close to me, I say, "Do not enter."

littlejoy9 3 years

I dont mind either

littlejoy9 3 years

I dont mind either

AMP 3 years

speaking of, where have the horoscopes gone on this site???

kulikuli 3 years

So many judgmental and close-minded people on this site. If you don't believe in it fine, but don't judge others who do. I think it has the same credibility as religion, which is none. Either you believe or you don't. Sometimes it's just for fun, lots of people don't ask you because they think they can judge your personality, they ask as an ice breaker. It's something to talk about, that can be fun and interesting unless you're a judgmental person. I know people who ask now, when they never had before, because they noticed a dating pattern, they seemed to have issues dating the same sign. They found it funny when they were attracted to someone, and they are the same sign as the last 6 people they dated. My advice is to not take astrology too seriously, and don't judge it too seriously either. I think the people who are annoyed by the astrology questions are more judging then the people who ask about. Just my opinion.

imLissy 3 years

I don't believe in any religion either, but most of them seem to make more sense than astrology

ali321 3 years

KadBunny I love that you said that. Honestly I'm not a huge believer in astrology. But it's not based on science any more than religion. If anyone ever calls someone an idiot for their religious beliefs people get way defensive. I don't see why it's okay to call anyone an idiot for what they believe. That's taking it a bit far. Same goes for astrology.But like I said I don't believe in it 100% or anything. I just think it's interesting. I'm a Sagittarius. Certain traits fit me and others don't. I don't live by it, but no I don't ever see a need to unleash any sort of wrath over someone asking me what my sign is. Can't say that I have ever felt that way.

ali321 3 years

KadBunny I love that you said that. Honestly I'm not a huge believer in astrology. But it's not based on science any more than religion. If anyone ever calls someone an idiot for their religious beliefs people get way defensive. I don't see why it's okay to call anyone an idiot for what they believe. That's taking it a bit far. Same goes for astrology. But like I said I don't believe in it 100% or anything. I just think it's interesting. I'm a Sagittarius. Certain traits fit me and others don't. I don't live by it, but no I don't ever see a need to unleash any sort of wrath over someone asking me what my sign is. Can't say that I have ever felt that way.

Gdeeaz 3 years

I like to read about horoscopes only because I find it amusing when I meet someone who really does fit their sign.

RoaringSilence 3 years

Barf! When someone starts talking about signs, I usually ask them if they really think that there are only 12 kinds of people in this world, or if they think that everyone born around the same days as them has exactly the same personality. EVERYONE can find traits of themselves in the description of all signs, so what's the point?

RoaringSilence 3 years

Barf! When someone starts talking about signs, I usually ask them if they really think that there are only 12 kinds of people in this world, or if they think that everyone born around the same days as them has exactly the same personality.EVERYONE can find traits of themselves in the description of all signs, so what's the point?

starbucks 3 years

I used to always make fun of my best friend for being into astrology and when she met her boyfriend she right away asked him about his sign. He wasn't into it either and she told him about how I laugh at her for it. When I finally met him a few months later (don't live in the same city) he introduced himself to me with 'Hi, I'm Rizwan, and a capricorn' Gave us all a good laugh.

Hello890 3 years

Lots of good arguments here. Mix tape, I love the "Team Goatb*tch". I'm a Capricorn too. :)

3 years

Astrology goes into a lot more depth than just "12 signs based on the month you were born." You can not determine a personality by this because there are more than 12 personalities that exist. By knowing your birthdate, birthtime, and location you were born, you can obtain a whole "birth chart" which encompasses many different factors and where EACH and EVERY plant was at this time and their relation was to each other and you, which thereby influences all the different personalities. Therefore, 2 people born at the same time but across the country from each other would have different personalities because the planets were aspected to each person differently. All of the planets play a huge role (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, etc) determining a personality since they're all in different "signs" at birth. example: Sun in Virgo, Venus in Gemini, Mars in Aries. Venus would be your "love plant" as in how you love, your approach to romance, where as Mars would influence how your ambition, motivation, etc. Same goes for all other planets, they all represent something different, and based on what "sign" it is in at the birth time would represent different aspects of the personality. There is much more to it than what is believed by the general population, thanks to magazines and newspapers that give "daily horoscopes" which I agree, is BS because its not specific enough. This is what makes everyone think astrology is BS, therefore, they never further research it. www.astro.com is a great website for learning more and a copy of your birth chart can be obtained here. Also.. astrologists say plants are just "influences" on the personality, you have free will to do and act as you want.

mix tape 3 years

I like the idea of astrology but I don't base my decisions on what my horoscope says to do, nor do I limit who my partners are based on compatibility. I think I fall under the basic description of a Capricorn. My best friend is also a Capricorn, we call ourselves Team Goatbitch. Astrology should be taken lightly.

KadBunny 3 years

Exactly. :shrug: So I find it somewhat hypocritical that people can so easily call out astrology as BS when it's essentially on the same boat as religion. You can't prove it, you're resigning yourself to a belief that your life is being influenced by some higher power (be it god or the stars), yet one is more acceptable than the other. But I'll agree, on the surface astrology seems accurate but I do believe every single person on the planet is completely unique and no one could possibly be having the exact same day as another. Not even remotely. Not to mention I'm allegedly incompatible with Aquarians but two of my favoritest people are (well, I strongly detest another, but anyways...) Sorry to go there. :) Was just a thought.

KadBunny 3 years

Exactly. :shrug: So I find it somewhat hypocritical that people can so easily call out astrology as BS when it's essentially on the same boat as religion. You can't prove it, you're resigning yourself to a belief that your life is being influenced by some higher power (be it god or the stars), yet one is more acceptable than the other.But I'll agree, on the surface astrology seems accurate but I do believe every single person on the planet is completely unique and no one could possibly be having the exact same day as another. Not even remotely. Not to mention I'm allegedly incompatible with Aquarians but two of my favoritest people are (well, I strongly detest another, but anyways...)Sorry to go there. :) Was just a thought.

3 years

Yes, yes I would. And the reason no one would DARE say that religious people are idiots is because of some irrational societal taboo that places religion on a pedestal (e.g., religion is GOOD, though history has MANY examples that say otherwise), rather than demand it answer the very same questions that science is at least willing to test. If someone says science is wrong, you have to prove otherwise. If someone says science is right, you still have to have someone duplicate your results over and over. You can't do that with religion or astrology; you either do or don't believe. You can't challenge belief. You can challenge science.

imLissy 3 years

True!We really can't prove most religions false, but we can prove astrology is a load of BS for the most part!

imLissy 3 years

True! We really can't prove most religions false, but we can prove astrology is a load of BS for the most part!