Western Astrology Is Harmful Cultural Appropriation 2021

7 min readJun 2, 2021

This is a top photo for astrology on Unsplash. So much cringe. Photo by Tania Medina on Unsplash

Idon’t like astrology. There, I said it. You can accuse me of being intolerant or ignorant, but you’d be wrong. Unlike most Americans, I actually grew up immersed in the culture. And I’m a woman, a strong feminist, and a frequent writer on gender politics. So don’t say I’m sexist.

But what I am is Hindu. And if I see one more question on if hating astrology is anti-women, I’m going to punch something. To me, that argument is simply the latest fad of rich white feminism — of people who are so privileged that they don’t realize claiming to be a minority is just another example of it. Men aren’t hating on astrology because it’s a female thing. White men are hating on white women who are into “Eastern things” because they’re racist.

And the women who are into it are often racist too. Fighting words, I’m sure, but hear me out.

Just look at the title photo. It’s one of Unsplash’s top suggestions for “astrology.” I could be wrong, but it looks like three white women, wearing cornrows and locs, random butterflies, flowers, and weird bindis. (Dear lord, third eyes aren’t literal, sheesh.) On top of that, it looks like they’re wearing kurtas. I have no problem with white people wearing kurtas — in fact, I wish more of them did. Kurtas are great office wear, party wear, and midnight-gas-station-run wear. But when white people only wear them in a “mystic” or “religious” context, then that’s offensive. Do you think 1.2 billion Hindus are sitting around meditating all day and waiting for the stars to align? Surprise, but we do lead normal lives too.

Yet the internet is teeming with op-eds on hating astrology being sexist, while there is barely anything about the blatant cultural appropriation. Why? Is it because, as always, the feelings of white women are much more important than the feelings of Brown people?

Astrology is not your thing to claim.

The rise in astrology was very much tied to the rise of interest in Hindu spirituality, but we get no credit

While several other cultures have astrological components, it is Hindu mythology specifically that has been the driving force in the West. Yes, there is astrology in Western culture as well — it dates back to Greece. But modern astrology isn’t about that. Greek astrology died out a long time ago and was heavily criticized by Christians. Astrology today comes with Indian art, yoga, meditation, reincarnation, Ayurveda, Sanskrit tattoos, and homeopathy. There are no city-based gods, Greek culture, or Hellenistic art. Whenever Western astrology falls short — for example, many people realize everyone born on the same day does not share the same characteristics — astrologers fall back on “more complex” Vedic traditions. They don’t spend any time learning about it; they just use it to sound mystic and cool and more believable.

But the way astrology is approached in Hindu culture is pretty different than how it’s being approached in the West. (Cue: My culture is not your fad.) I’ve seen critiques, all by white people, of Hindu astrology taking away free will and defending the advantages of entirely Western star signs. This is no better. When I see Rob Brezsny’s “Free Will Astrology,” I question whether it’s a silent insult of a culture that astrologers stole a lot from and rarely credit. Where’s the featured Vedic astrologer? Why are we biased in favor of white astrology?

White women are now claiming astrology is their “minority culture.” But it’s not, and this attitude is incredibly harmful.

White women frequently say that astrology is their “cute and cultural thing,” something that makes others prejudiced or sexist when they rail against it. They reject all attempts by people like me (also a woman) to criticize it. It’s harmless, after all. But astrology is not harmless in India, a country with 1.4 billion people that needs to stop being erased by the United States, a country of 300 million.

Astrology is pseudoscience. Astrologers do not publish in the scientific community, do not peer-review papers, do not fundamentally rely on evidence or rigorous experimentation, and do not use testable ideas. Ample research has shown that astrology does not make accurate predictions. For example, people are as likely to say a prediction for another star sign is as accurate as one for themselves. OKCupid’s incredible data blog has disproved any evidence in romantic compatibility based on star signs. Yet white women say it’s sexist to point out these flaws. To them, their views aren’t harming anyone, so who cares?

In the Indian community, we all do. Whether or not astrology should be allowed to be taught in schools has made it to the Indian Supreme Court several times. (The Hindu right wing in India is like the Christian right wing in the United States.) Indian astrologers have made many, many claims that have been debunked by skeptics; some have caused real damage to people when they were wrong. In a hyper-religious country, if people are going to call off marriages, abuse women and Muslims, and make decisions on evacuating major cities based on astrology, this can cause pain, hurt, and even death. So it’s convenient that Western liberals want to ignore arguments on the merits of astrology when they don’t have to deal with the serious consequences of it. How would you feel if I said you couldn’t argue about the Bible’s impact on gay marriage or female virginity?

To say astrology is harmless is to erase the Indian experience of it and pretend that Western astrology is all that exists. Basically, it’s racist.

Finally, astrology is not a woman’s thing at all

At least, it isn’t a woman’s thing if you stop thinking everyone in the world is a white American. Straight men don’t hate astrology, Hannah, Kayla, Leah, and Jessica. Straight white men do.

In India, astrology is believed strongly by both men and women, possibly even more strongly by men. Both my mom and my dad were insistent I got married on the right day at the right time, even though they can’t agree on whether or not God exists. So the idea that white culture first appropriated astrology and turned it into another white gender war is irritating.

Men do respect astrology. And when you say they don’t, you are erasing the minority men who helped create it. You are erasing the minority women who have fought its ties to conservatism. You are erasing over one freaking billion people.

Today, there isn’t a single Indian Hindu I know who doesn’t think Western astrology is bullshit. Some of us dislike it all and some of us dislike only the Western version.

Yet the primary conversation I’m hearing is if it’s sexist to criticize astrology-believers because it’s white women who believe in it. That misses the point like a drunk teenager aiming darts at a whiteboard.

This is an unusual opinion for me. I am, in general, a huge supporter of “cultural appropriation” of my culture. I don’t think anything is wrong with Cardi B or Rihanna using Hinduism, even when they adapt it and “disrespect” it. That’s the point of globalization and there’s something very empowering about Black women adapting an often sexist and colorist religion. I also believe there is nothing wrong with blending cultures; I wish more people would wear our clothes, buy our art, and wear bindis. Take a look at the comments section of this incredible Bollywood-inspired ice dance, and you’ll see it’s not the Indians who are offended.

I want global market share, but white people are telling each other not to give it to us. They call out women of color for using Hinduism. (Cardi B, Rihanna, Chrissy Teigen, and Beyoncé have all faced allegations.) They say not to buy Hindu idols and not to wear Indian clothes because that’s cultural appropriation, when they know that means minority sellers lose business. Then they turn around and sell a white version and people buy it.

If you’re going to take elements of Hindu religion and thoroughly twist them to sell your products and services, making money off something you’ve taken zero time to understand, then please stop telling white people they can’t buy those same things from us.

So if you want to spend your free time on astrology, spiritual yoga, or chakras, I would encourage you to ditch white women’s magazines and check out Vedic astrology. It is much more interesting, if nothing else. It takes more time to understand, and the art is cooler. It’s open to long conversations, debates, and intricate “fandoms,” for lack of a better word. It requires you to challenge the real-world impacts of blind belief in it.

And, as an added bonus, it’s less racist.

Western Astrology Is Harmful Cultural Appropriation 2021

The rise in astrology was very much tied to the rise of interest in Hindu spirituality, but we get no credit

White women are now claiming astrology is their “minority culture.” But it’s not, and this attitude is incredibly harmful.

Finally, astrology is not a woman’s thing at all

Written by Freda Taylor