The natal horoscope of the late Bettie Page is one of the most fascinating examples of one born to and having a famous destiny, that I have ever studied. I readily admit I am one of the millions of her fans and have been since puberty.
Yes, I was one of the teens that was ‘corrupted,’ by her famous and infamous pin-up and bondage photos that she posed for during the 1940-50’s era while working for Irving Klaw, Bunny Yeager, and many other famous glamour photographers. She was presented in the early PLAYBOY magazines at the age of 32 which is old for most glamour models, but not for her.
My personal experience also points out the fallacy of the alleged dangers of the ‘vile’ …but rather tame by today’s standards… ‘pornography’ of that era. I have never murdered or raped anyone and I have always engaged in all my sexual activities with consenting adults over the age of 18.
According to Bettie’s biography, as written by Karen Essex and James L. Swanson, BETTIE PAGE, The Life of a Pin-up Legend, she was born April 23, 1923, at 3:00A.M. in Nashville, Tennessee. I cast her natal horoscope in 1997, and was simply amazed at what I had stumbled upon.
The usual Venus/Neptune glamour and modeling inclination is found the Sign of Pisces itself which is ruled by Neptune. Her natal Venus is at 25 degrees of Pisces, thus it is deposited by Neptune and therein lays the glamour Venus/Neptune aspect. Neptune ruled Pisces also deposits Uranus at 16 degrees of Pisces. It is separated from Venus by 9 degrees. Though wide by one degree it could be considered a weak Venus/Uranus CONJUNCT, and possibly indicating why she never quite made it into main stream film acting. Nonetheless, it is an inclination to out-of-the-ordinary experiences as a model which she definitely had.
She was destined to fame by other powerful aspects. There are not one but two rather rare and powerful aspects of what is known as the ‘Yod,’ and also called, ‘Finger of God,’ formations in her natal chart. By the rules in the science of astrology, the orb allowance in this formation is much tighter and must be within two degrees. In her natal chart they are EXACT or within one degree and thus very powerful as a destiny influence. The Yod formation is a long triangle shape that is formed by two INCONJUNT (150 degrees) aspects that are separated at the base by a SEXTILE (60 degrees) thus giving it the appearance of a pointer or an arrowhead with the point defining the destiny.
Using keywords let’s define this destiny influence. Uranus (unusual and revolutionary, out-of-the-ordinary, modeling (Venus/Neptune in Pisces) at 16 degrees of Pisces, is in easy and harmonious SEXTLE (60 degrees) to Mercury (rules magazines and mail order, the main form of the distribution of her photos, and in the 2nd House, indicating money that she earned as a model) at 15 degrees of Taurus. By INCONJUNCT (150 degrees) both of these planets point to Saturn (rules bondage) at 15 degrees of Libra, and thus by her modeling for bondage photographer, Irving Klaw, during the 1950’s she was declared the ‘QUEEN OF BONDAGE,’ modeling.
The second Yod formation supports and reaffirms this destiny inclination. Saturn (rules bondage) at 15 degrees of Libra is in easy and harmonious SEXTILE (60 degrees) to Neptune (rules modeling, and illusion, thus all the scenes were simply posed and not real bondage) at 15 degrees of Leo (exhibitionist sign). These two planets by INCONJUNCT (150 degrees) then point back to the destiny of the Uranus (out-of-the-ordinary model) location at 16 degrees of Pisces ruled by Neptune (glamour modeling) and in the 1stHouse (rules over the personality as it is presented to the world). Thus by these strong destiny inclinations she was presented to the world during the sexually repressive 1950’s era, as the legendary Pin-up and bondage model, Bettie Page.
In addition to these powerful planetary inclinations there is also an incredibly powerful GRAND TRINE in her natal chart, in which we can read further inclinations in her life. Uranus (unique and unusual nature) at 16 degrees of Pisces TRINES (120 degrees) to Jupiter at 15 degrees of Scorpio (rules sex, and the sexuality of her modeling). The Jupiter TRINES to Pluto at 15 degrees of Cancer (and in the 4th House, indicating the difficulties of her early home environment) which then TRINES back to Uranus.
The fortunate GRAND TRINE indicates her ability to rise above the early life and later life difficulties, which she courageously did. Pluto is also in CONJUNCT to her Moon at 9 degrees of Cancer and in the 4th House) Difficult aspects in the 4th House (rules the home) are often an inclination of the recluse, which indeed she did become after she left her modeling career in 1957 and disappeared from public view after the Senate Investigation Committee persecuted her employer the bondage photographer and mail order distributor, Irving Klaw.
During those reclusive years she had to deal with mental problems and periods of incarcerations… all seen in the troublesome “T-bar” of Mercury square Neptune (can cause confused mental states, delusions) and opposed to Jupiter… the ‘bad luck’ part of her life… and then the Jupiter luck turns her way again, and she’s recovered, and once again famous… revived as a ‘retro-style sexy glamour’ Icon… with Madonna copying Bettie’s famed cone shaped metal B&D style bras in the 1980’s.
This incredible destiny is further confirmed in her own statement written by her in the introduction of her autobiography,
“I was not trying to be shocking, or to be a pioneer. I wasn’t trying to change society, or to be ahead of my time. I didn’t think of myself as liberated, and I don’t believe that I did anything important. I was just myself. I didn’t know any other way to be, or any other way to live. If my photographs speak to you, then I am happy. If I am remembered today it is because you, the reader, see something in me that I never saw in myself.”
This is an incredible woman who was simply making as a living as a secretary and a part time model, and from the inclinations of very powerful destiny aspects in her natal horoscope, became a living legend without intending to do so. What more can be said? We love you, Bettie.
