Virgo, The Virgin

August 23 - September 22

We should stop calling Virgo the virgin and instead call them the teenager. Like the teen—and like their ruling tarot card, the Hermit—Virgos compulsively seek a private space for self-exploration and reflection. And, like a teen, a Virgo is obsessed with sex, perfection, and analyzing every situation they encounter.

A common stereotype about Virgos is that they're all neat freaks. I think not. It was probably a Virgo who first said, I know my room is messy, but I _know where everything is._ A fear of germs and cooties, though? That's basically true: like a teen, Virgo is always saying eww.

Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the god of communication, which means that their urge for privacy and introspection doesn't override their desire to communicate. Like a teen texting all night, Virgo is always curious, tucked away in her cave shuffling e-mails, Facebook messages, Twitter mentions. Thankfully, Virgos are usually polite, so it's rare you'll have to compete with a screen when you meet with a Virgo for dinner.

Virgo is both the second Earth and the second Mutable sign—Mutable signs are the last sign of the season, in this case summer. Virgo represents the time of year many of us plan, organize, and prepare to learn: the beginning of the school year. Ruling the stomach, Virgo digests the information collected by the first Mutable sign, Gemini. After being processed, this information is then passed on to Libra, the sign of judgment and harmony.

Virginal white is often associated with Virgo, and their glyph is said to symbolize the maiden shyly crossing her legs. Virgos are critical perfectionists—think Beyoncé, a Virgo who is famously Flawless—but they're much more playful and Mercurial than pop astrology typically gives them credit for. Service and work are themes often associated with this sign, so it's unfortunate that mythological Virgo may be out of a job now that gluten is in and wheat, a symbol strongly tied to the Virgo vibe, is considered an enemy by many.