Pallas and gender issues: The astrology of Stephen Beatty

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Actor Warren Beatty recently addressed his transgender son Stephen for the first time, putting Stephen in the headlines and bringing him to my attention.  For some time now I’ve been writing that the emergence of transgendered persons such as Chaz Bono into a more mainstream presence is connected with the transition into the Aquarian age.

Stephen Ira Beatty was born Kathryn Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Benning.  Stephen Ira came out as trans at the age of 14, which astrologically is the time when transiting Saturn opposes Saturn in the natal chart and often sets off a sort of identity crisis or challenge.  Stephen Ira has become an active spokesperson for the transgender community and apparently identifies as a man with feminine traits rather than a straight man.  News reports from 2012 suggest that he hesitated before completing the transition surgery because he didn’t want to give up his feminine side.

Beatty’s astrological chart is fascinating.  His Capricorn Sun gives him a desire to work hard and find success, but it is in a tight conjunction to Neptune (blurring the boundaries) which often confuses the identity when aligned with the Sun (Self) and to Uranus (shattering paradigms), the planetary ruler of the Aquarian age.  This Solar conjunction enjoys a harmonious trine from Jupiter (confidence) which no doubt has helped him to traverse the difficult waters of his complicated personal identity.

There is an indication of emotional pain in a stressful opposition between Saturn (tests and challenges) to Chiron (wounding and healing) that denotes an individual with a more intense level of emotional wounds that others have and the necessity to heal these wounds over a lifetime.  In addition, the Black Moon Lilith is tied into that dynamic with a conjunction to Saturn that connects the soul’s earthly work to the primal feminine intuitive power.

I have noticed that the asteroid Pallas is prominent in the charts of many transgendered persons.  In mythology, Pallas Athena was born out of the head of Zeus rather than through a mother’s womb in the normal fashion.  This emergence from the mind rather than the body is significant since in a transgendered individual the identity comes from the mind rather than the physical attributes.  In Beatty’s chart, the asteroid Pallas is tightly (within 6 minutes!!) conjunct his Venus, the planet of love and attraction.

Human behavior is not predictable, and not everyone with this chart will be transgendered.  Planets express themselves somewhat differently through different people, although the basic themes will be similar.  However, it can be helpful to see the underlying dynamics behind our personalities and how we can best utilize these planetary allies to help us grow and evolve.