Your most toxic trait based on your zodiac sign

The word toxic derives from the Greek for poison, more specifically, a poison applied to the tip of an arrow.

As the poet Britney Spears explored in her 2003 bop “Toxic,” we are all wounded creatures that are, without conscious intervention or in the case of Britney, a banging flight attendant costume, drawn to repeat our patterns of hurting and being hurt.

This is often why we find ourselves in toxic relationships or toxic behavior patterns, there’s an addictive quality that thrills us even as it unmakes us.

As with everything, awareness is the first step forward. With this in mind, I bring you a list of the toxic traits of each zodiac. Ancient astrologers lived by the mantra that “the stars incline us, they do not bind us.”

In this way, we are predisposed to certain toxicity but are in no way doomed to perpetuate it. May we recognize it, may we learn from it and may we move purposefully away from it.

ARIES March 21 – April 19

Toxic trait: Poor impulse control

Passionate and direct, the very things that make Aries an exciting person to be around also make them a source of anxiety for others or worse, a full blown emotional terrorist. Of course they’re usually good looking and though their flare ups are frequent they rarely last long which means people put up with their bull***t for far longer than they should. Examples of toxic Aries behavior include Russel Crowe throwing a phone at a hotel employee and Marlon Brando most of the time.

Detox: Practice exerting your will without overpowering or endangering others.

TAURUS April 20 – May 20

Toxic trait: Selfishness

Taurus rules the second house of values and possessions and at their lowest vibration these people can be materialistic, apathetic to the needs of others and selfish when it comes to resources and romance. They innately fear scarcity and as a result have an impulse to hoard and protect their luxury items, financial assets and the affections of their partner. A low vibrational Taurus is concerned with getting and keeping and lives in fear of what can be taken from them. We see this desire to hold on and have it all in Taurus TikTok star Charli D’Amelio who voiced her need to reach 100 million followers via a polarizing clip of her eating a meal prepared by her personal chef (big time bull vibes there). The plan backfired, as it often does when Taurus expects too much for too little, and Charli actually lost a million followers in the aftermath of the video.

Detox: Repeat after me, “I have enough, I am enough.”

GEMINI May 21 – June 20

Toxic trait: No filter

Gemini is ruled by Mercury, planet of communication, and the minds of these people are ever humming with information, idle gossip, pop culture trivia, conspiracy theories and insults. Problems arise when they fail to fact check or self edit, preferring instead to weaponize their words and unleash a torrent of incendiary falsehoods, accusations and unsolicited opinions. It gets erratic, it gets ugly and it gets you suspended from social media as was the case for word vomiting Gemini natives Donald Trump and Kanye West.

Detox: Keep a journal instead of a social media account.

CANCER June 21 – July 22

Toxic trait: Flagrant disregard for personal boundaries

Cancer is ruled by the moon and tied to the divine feminine. It represents the archetype of the mother, at best this archetype is expressed as nourishment and support. At its most toxic it acts like the worst kind of matriarch, the kind that gets drunk at your birthday party, reads your diary and tries to sleep with your boyfriend because she sees you only and ever as an extension of herself. Cancer struggles to maintain their own boundaries and often fails to respect the boundaries of others, qualities we see in the persistently problematic behavior of Cancer line crosser and chronic over sharer Wendy Williams.

Detox: Ask permission. You are not entitled to the entirety or interiority of anyone.

LEO July 23 – August 22

Toxic trait: Undue drama

Leo is ruled by the sun and thus adept at commanding attention and shining a powerful light on causes and conditions close to their hearts. They can make for incredible advocates or insufferable grandstanders. Case in point Demi Lovato who has been courageously candid about their mental health journey but also inexplicably waged social media war against frozen yogurt shop The Big Chill, alleging they felt personally triggered by the shop’s array of sugar free choices and diet items. Cue the shop gently reminding Demi that they cater to diabetics, Celiacs, and vegans alike and their offerings are a reflection of that. PSA to Leos, it is often, but not always, about you.

Detox: How can I use my platform and position to elevate others rather than validate myself?

VIRGO August 23 – September 22

Toxic trait: Criticism

Keen observers, Virgos cannot help but take notice and take note of everything and everyone. This is incredibly helpful when you’re touching up crown molding or detailing your car, not so much when you’re just trying to have a relationship. Most of the time Virgo is only looking to help with their cache of observations and suggestions for improvement but hell hath no fury like a toxic Virgo waiting to go off, especially if that Virgo happens to be Charlie Sheen high AF on cocaine and tiger blood with a vendetta against a long list of business associates and ex-wives. Due to the influence of messenger planet Mercury, a Virgo’s tirade will always be memorable and in the case of Sheen, viably viral.

Detox: See without speaking.

LIBRA September 23 – October 22

Toxic trait: Outbursts caused by repression and unrealistic expectations

Represented by the scales and balances, Libras are ever seeking harmony or the veneer of it. If that sounds exhausting, it is. Quick to love bomb and never lacking in charm, Libras often repress their darker feelings for the sake of maintaining their relationships. This backfires of course as everything buried is eventually exhumed. Consider Libra and self-described ‘hopeless romantic’ Tommy Lee, when his relationship with Pamela Anderson grew fraught and his idealization of their domestic fairy tale was threatened, he reacted, as Libras often do, in an explosive and unexpected way.

Detox: The difference between conflict and crisis is your response.

SCORPIO October 23 – November 21

Toxic trait: Capitalizing on the strengths and weaknesses of others

No one understands power dynamics more fully than a Scorpio. Preferring to work behind the scenes they make for excellent managers and promoters, pimps and psychologists. Toxicity emerges when they use the control they have for dubious and/or entirely self serving means, a dynamic at work within the web of Scorpio momager Kris Kardashian who allegedly intentionally leaked Kim’s sex tape and has been repeatedly accused of leveraging the trials and traumas of her children for financial gain and notoriety.

Detox: Seek only to control yourself.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 – December 21

Toxic trait: Rudeness

Sagittarians are seekers whose idealism draws them to quests and questions of the philosophical variety. Idealists with a peculiar moral code, they believe in kindness as a concept more than a practice and tact as a socially constructed waste of time. Because of this they are prone to blunt delivery and off-color commentary. Case in point, Sagittarian Vanessa Hudgens who was shockingly nonchalant about the death toll of COVID death tolls and archer Chrissy Teigen who has taken vicious aim at the character and conduct of others; slut-shaming Farrah Abrams, wishing death on Cortney Stodden, and questioning the likability of 9-year old actress Quvenzhané Wallis. Ever willing to learn and improve, the upswing of a toxic Sag is that they’re more likely than other signs to admit fault and course correct.

Detox: STFU

CAPRICORN December 22 – January 19

Toxic trait: Ruthelessness

Capricorns are cool strategists that are easily able to locate opportunities for themselves and weaknesses within others. The best among them tread lightly with this knowledge, using it to get ahead while being conscious not to trample others on their way to the top. The worst kind of goat gets to that proverbial top and wields their position to punish and exploit. An extreme example of this abuse of power is found in Capricorn Marilyn Manson who has been accused of torturing numerous women and using his resources and reputation to silence them.

Detox: Choose compassion, often and always.

AQUARIUS January 20 – February 18

Toxic trait: Duplicity

Ruled by structured planet Saturn and chaotic planet Uranus, Aquarians are inevitably pulled between order and abandon. This tension makes them great cult leaders and questionable politicians. As an air sign, Aquarians tend to be emotionally aloof and prone to developing public personas that obscure their true selves. Because of this disconnect it’s hard to really know or understand the motivations of an Aquarius. At best that makes them enigmatic, at worst down right duplicitous. The downfall of Ellen DeGeneres amid claims of a toxic work environment at odds with her public persona is a prime example of Aquarian energy gone awry.

Detox: A mask is a crutch for those who are strangers to themselves

PISCES February 19 – March 20

Toxic trait: Escapism

The toxicity of the fish folk is two pronged, ruled as they are by Neptune, planet of dreams and delusions, their version of reality is shaky at best and downright diluted at worst. Escape artists at heart Pisceans flee from everything they cannot bear or bear to be held accountable for. We see both the delusion of reality and the escapism of denial in convicted rapist and Pisces native Harvey Weinstein.

Detox: You can only be haunted by the ghosts you refuse to face

Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars

Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.