Alex's Asteroid Astrology

On April 22, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a mean-spirited, retaliatory Bill meant to punish Disney World for its outspoken opposition to his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans discussion of same-sex and transgender orientation in primary public schools in the Sunshine State, signed by the governor the month before.  The new legislation revokes the Disney World theme park’s special status as a self-governing enclave within Florida, allowing it to function as a municipal or county government, providing its own electrical grid, security, emergency, medical, fire and rescue services, in exchange for special tax status in the state.  DeSantis pushed for the law after Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek publicly denounced the anti-gay legislation, and announced a reassessment of Disney’s political contribution policy.

Ironically, Disney was late to the party on opposing “Don’t Say Gay”, uttering its first condemnation only after the Bill had passed the Florida Senate in early March and was already on its way to DeSantis’ desk.  By the text of the Bill, signed into law by DeSantis on March 28, “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels,” and further bans certain gay-friendly texts from public school libraries (such as “Heather Has Two Mommies”).  The legislation also gives Florida parents the right to sue school districts if they feel the curriculum flouts the new law. 

Blowback for Disney from DeSantis came quickly, with the GOP-dominated state legislature crafting a Bill denying Disney World’s operating body, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the special status it has enjoyed since 1967 when development first began on what would become one of the world’s leading family-centered entertainment resorts, which opened in 1971.

But there’s a fly in the ointment:  by the terms of the original agreement, if the special status should be revoked, then Florida taxpayers become responsible for any bond debt held by Reedy Creek, which currently totals some one billion dollars.  The taxpayers most affected will be in Disney’s surrounding counties, part of the I-4 corridor swing districts which typically decide close elections in the state.  DeSantis’ reelection bid for governor occurs this November, but the Bill has a fail-safe mechanism whereby its provisions don’t kick in for a year, preventing voters from experiencing its full economic impact until well past that election.

In this analysis, we’ll be using asteroids Rone and Disanti for Ron DeSantis; Disneya, Donald Duck and Mousa for Disney World generally; Reid and Crick for the Reedy Creek Improvement District specifically; and Sunshine for Florida, the Sunshine State.

Born 14 September 1978 (no time available), Ron DeSantis’ conservative political philosophy can be seen in a close conjunction of Saturn with Mercury at 6 and 8 Virgo:  his mind has a traditional, conventional bent.  The Sun at 21 Virgo conjoins asteroid Disanti at 29 Virgo and widely opposes asteroid Rone at 11 Pisces, conforming to the typical placement of one’s own PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids), which often connect with the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, or Mercury.

Between these groupings lies a triple conjunction of asteroids Ganymed, Antinous (both at 11 Virgo) and Eros (at 15), all gay indicators, suggesting an undue focus (Sun) or obsessive thoughts (Mercury) regarding same-sex issues.  (Ganymed is named for Zeus’ underage cupbearer and boy-toy lover; Antinous is named for the real-life lover of Roman Emperor Hadrian, who drowned himself in the Nile to save his beloved; and Eros was the acknowledged patron of homosexual unions in ancient Greece.)  The fourth major gay indicator is asteroid Sappho, named for an ancient Greek lesbian poet; this appears at 13 Libra in DeSantis’ chart, conjoined Pluto at 15 Libra, suggesting same-sex issues as a power play for the Florida governor.

DeSantis’s political rise in 2018 was due in large part to his embrace of Donald Trump, cutting campaign ads with his toddler where he endorsed the idea of building a wall on the southern border.  But the course of true political love has not always run smooth, and Trump and his one-time protégé have clashed on several issues since the latter’s elevation to the Governor’s Mansion.  DeSantis’ White House aspirations are on prominent display, and he remains one of very few potential GOP presidential nomination contenders for 2024 who refuses to state that he would withdraw from the competition if Trump throws his hat in the ring again.

The complicated state of affairs between them can be seen in asteroid Troemper, our celestial referent for The Donald, which at 23 Libra conjoins natal Mars at 26 Libra, indicating, on the one hand, DeSantis’ early championing of Trump’s agenda, and on the other, the growing friction between them.  With Venus at 6 Scorpio conjunct asteroid Whitehouse at 7 Scorpio, sextile Saturn at 6 Virgo, DeSantis has a burning desire (Venus) for the Oval Office (Whitehouse) as the goal of his career path (Saturn); a T-Square to Jupiter at 1 Leo and asteroid Sunshine at 11 Aquarius shows Florida (Sunshine) as a stepping stone to his political aggrandizement (Jupiter).

But our focus today is on Disney, not Washington, and we have plenty of asteroid confirmation of the important role this conflict has the potential to play.  With asteroid Disneya (named for Walt Disney) at 22 Gemini squared the 21 Virgo Sun, Disney World can become a central element of DeSantis’ story, for good or ill.  Underscoring its importance are two asteroids embedded at station, evoking much greater influence on the biography than would normally be the case.  These are asteroids Reid (for the Reedy Creek Improvement District), which at 28 Capricorn is trine the Sun and turned direct five days before DeSantis’ birth; and Mousa (for Mouse, the leading Disney icon) at 12 Taurus, also trine the Sun, which turned retrograde the same day.  As with Trump, the possibility of friction or conflict between them can be seen in asteroid Donald Duck (which, come to think of it, could also represent the cartoonish 45^th President) at 29 Libra, also conjoined Mars.  Asteroid Crick (for Reedy Creek) at 8 Scorpio conjoins Whitehouse, perhaps an indication that his relations with Disney could affect DeSantis’ chances of attaining that goal.

Disney World opened to the public in Orlando, Florida on 1 October 1971, with a 7 Libra Sun conjoined by Mercury at 2 Libra and Uranus at 13 Libra.  This reflects the inventive (Uranus) thinking (Mercury) that went into it, an extension of Walt Disney‘s vision of a family-friendly oasis where dreams really do come true.  Note the sextile from Mercury to a Neptune/Jupiter pairing at 0 and 3 Sagittarius – “Dream (Neptune) BIG (Jupiter)!” is the watchword here!  Sun/Uranus also depicts the rampant excitement and over-stimulation of a Disney vacation, as well as one of its most enduringly popular and iconic attractions, the Main Street Electrical Parade. 

The Sun is exactly squared by asteroid Castellion at 7 Cancer, representing the trademark edifice of Cinderella’s Castle which greets visitors at the entrance.  “The Happiest Place on Earth” sports a stationary asteroid Felicitas, which means “happy” in Latin.  At 24 Taurus, Felicitas is sesquiquadrate the Sun and turned retrograde eight days after the gates opened.

Also at station is asteroid Sunshine at 9 Gemini, trine the Sun, specifying Disney World’s Florida locale, the Sunshine State, and emphasizing the importance of its geography.  Sunshine turned retrograde seven days after Disney World opened, and also conjoins Saturn at 6 Gemini, an indication both of its state-sponsored establishment, and possible restriction or limitation from that quarter, with Florida’s (Sunshine) government (Saturn) not only granting Disney World’s special status but now, some fifty years later, revoking it.

A T-Square of asteroid Crick (for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney World’s parent organization) at 18 Gemini opposed asteroid Donald Duck at 14 Sagittarius, named for one of Disney’s most iconic characters, with asteroid Disneya on the fulcrum at 21 Virgo, reiterates the Disney theme of the special tax district.  Asteroid Reid (also for Reedy Creek) at 10 Leo is sextile the Sun and squared asteroid Orlandi at 6 Taurus, for Orlando, Disney World’s address city. 

A harbinger of troubles ahead can be seen in a remarkable combination of Uranus at 13 Libra with asteroids Toro and Disanti, both at 15 Libra, Venus at 17 Libra, and asteroid Sappho at 18 Libra.  This suggests a disruption and controversy (both Uranus) caused by bullying, abusive behaviors (Toro) from Governor DeSantis (Disanti), based in a clash of values (Venus) regarding homosexuals (Sappho).  That Disney should become a mecca for gay Imagineers, staff and visitors is hardly surprising, given asteroid Eros’ conjunction with the Sun from 6 Libra, Sappho’s conjunction with Venus, and Antinous conjunct Mousa at 2 and 5 Virgo, putting a Rainbow Flag tee-shirt on Mickey for sure.

When Ron DeSantis signed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” Bill on 28 March 2022, the Sun at 8 Aries conjoined Toro at 0 Aries, Mercury at 2 Aries, asteroid Crick at 5 Aries and Donald Duck at 12 Aries, with asteroid Eros still within orb from 16 Aries.  This also suggests abuse (Toro) heaped on Disney World (Crick, Donald Duck) for their statements (Mercury) decrying the anti-gay (Eros) legislation.  Looking at the Bill for its primary purpose, to nullify so much as a mention of alternate lifestyles, consider asteroid NOT at 9 Pisces (semisextile the Sun), a general disqualifier acting to shut down or negate, in opposition to Ganymed at 3 Virgo and sextile Sappho at 10 Taurus. 

The controversial banning of gay-themed books from school libraries in Florida is seen in a Grand Trine Kite pattern, with trines from a pairing of asteroids Antinous (gay) and Libera (with its root in “liber”, Latin for “book”) at 25 and 27 Gemini, Nemesis (downfall or ruin) at 24 Aquarius with an exact conjunction of Venus and Saturn at 21 Aquarius [which of itself suggests the repression (Saturn) of certain forms of love and relationship (Venus)] and Sunshine (Florida) at 26 Libra, opposing strife-and-discord-generator Eris at 24 Aries (also ruling marginalized or disrespected populations, like homosexuals) on the String of the Kite.

A second tie-in between the legislation, Disney and the theme of sexuality appears as a Yod, or Finger of Destiny pattern, with the Sun at its Apex, inconjunct to both asteroid Disneya at 8 Scorpio and Ganymed at 3 Virgo, implying a fated contretemps over the issues raised.  The Sun also exactly squares asteroid Reid at 8 Capricorn, potentially placing Disney World in the spotlight (Sun) due to the new law.

DeSantis’ position of power in the situation is exemplified by asteroids Rone and Disanti at 22 and 25 Capricorn, conjunct Pluto at 28 Cap.   The Bill’s discrimination against gays is represented by a conjunction of Sappho with Uranus at 10 and 12 Taurus, opposing Disneya and in a T-Square with Mars, ruling both sexuality and conflict, at 16 Aquarius. 

When the Bill to revoke Disney World’s special governing status was signed on 22 April 2022, the celestial battle lines are drawn even more clearly, with the Sun at 2 Taurus still conjoined Eros at 4 Taurus, identifying the proximate cause for the rift, opposed Disneya at 3 Scorpio and T-Squared Disanti on the fulcrum at 1 Aquarius.  Rone (now at 27 Capricorn) and DiSanti still bracket Pluto at 28 Capricorn, reiterating DeSantis’ powerful position, squaring asteroid Donald Duck with TNO Eris at 23 and 24 Aries, reflecting the strife and discord (Eris) with Disney World (Donald Duck). Mars at 5 Pisces squared asteroid Mousa at 8 Gemini symbolizes DeSantis’ war on Disney, with a T-Square to Ganymed at 1 Virgo reiterating the gay-themed background for the legislation.

It’s possible, even probable, that DeSantis and the Florida legislature will rethink their harsh stance on Disney’s freedom of speech before the axe finally falls in a year, and revoke their revocation before Florida taxpayers are required to absorb the billion-dollar debt.  Much of the motivation behind the initial anti-gay legislation which sparked the retaliatory anti-Disney law, and the Reedy Creek Bill itself, is political theater designed to burnish DeSantis’ conservative street fighter creds preparatory to his reelection bid this fall, and a presumed run for the White House in 2024.  Having served its purpose, it might no longer be necessary to stomp on this particular Mouse.