Gala Galactic
August 20, 2018 7:00 am
Anna Buckley/HelloGiggles - Getty Images


Dear Gala,

I feel like people are always misunderstanding/misrepresenting my zodiac sign (Leo). How do I get them to understand that I’m more than the drama queen Leo trope?

Lost in Leo

Dear Leo,

Let’s talk about power, Leo, power that is sought after and power that is naturally bestowed. I’ve known and loved many a Leo in my life, and because of this can spot one from a mile away—or, if not a Leo, then a Leo rising—and I know your kind. What I mean is, it’s not unusual to meet a Leo who differs wildly from the dramatic Leo we are often expecting to encounter.

Leos come in many variations, influenced intensely by their ascendant, their moon, their Mars, not to mention their house positions. And while the possibility for nuance and subtle difference is plentiful, I am generally lazy and like to group Leos of the world into two categories: 1) the Leo who actively seeks to step into the spotlight, and 2) the Leo who naturally acts as a lighthouse people are called to. In other words, the Leo who seeks power and the Leo who naturally has it.

It’s like this: You walk into the bar and see a girl with distinctive hair. Maybe it’s curly and bouncing all around her like a halo as she weaves easily between her friends, making jubilant odes to their hotness, proclaiming her undying adoration for them, picking up the threads of conversation topics and weaving them into a net so that she may lay herself and her own experience square in the center of it. She has no problem taking up space, because the space she takes up is bolstered by a foundation of intimacies. When she expresses passion for herself and her experience, she’s empowering you to do the same. This Leo’s passionate heart is leaking out in all directions. In fact, the main reason she’s seeking the spotlight is so that she can share it with the people she loves.

Or, it’s like this: You walk into the bar and see this person. You can’t seem to stop looking at them, your eyes just naturally drift over the crowd and onto their face. There’s something particular about their appearance. They’re not wearing anything very out of the ordinary, yet you can tell that what they’re projecting out into the world is solidly who they are—a legible authenticity. This is part of the attraction, and it compels you to go over and talk to them. What should be a social risk winds up being a friendly endeavor, as this type of Leo tends to be a very open sort—curious about people rather than suspicious—and charitable with strangers.

If circumstance allows your chance meeting to expand and linger, you’ll probably witness a string of people slowly making their way to your new friend. Each time, they will be greeted kindly, welcomed into the group with a quiet generosity, and encouraged to make new friends. The Leo to whom each of these people is drawn will often recline into the warmth of this circle, preferring to listen and reflect rather than guide the conversation. Still, it’ll come as no surprise that each person speaking will inevitably glance at the Leo, seeking their approval and affection, hoping that whatever they’ve said has endeared them.

Of course, of course, there are Leos who shift between version one and version two. And Leos who, harboring some deep insecurity/trauma/difficult planetary aspects in the first, seventh, or eleventh house, feel wretched when faced with any kind of social relationship-building or attention. There are exceptions to the rule.

That being said, any Leo worth their salt is more than a drama queen. They’re passionate leaders, creative innovators, boundless lovers, principled advisors, and eternal students of the heart. And, anyway, it’s not nothing to be a drama queen. One’s got to have enough confidence to rule a stage and enough empathy to embody every human emotion the play ultimately demands. And what would we be left with were there no queen? An empty stage, that’s what.

With heart,
Gala Galactic