In Gemini Season 2023, We All Contain Multitudes

A chorus of question-asking welcomes the arrival of Gemini season, populated with animals who are autodidacts, self-sufficient cats, canine-selfie allyship, and doves who do cry. Ruled by the messenger god Mercury, Gemini governs all things cerebral — how you communicate, learn, and perceive the world. Chaotic and eclectic, their M.O. is to look at life anew: to be the eternal student of life; the Jackie of all trades; the interviewer and the interviewee.

The Duality of Geminis — and Their Pets

Gemini Walt Whitman wasn’t lying when he said, “I contain multitudes.” The sign of the twins reminds us that we don’t have to be any one thing; it’s duality, baby — and all the shades in between. The double-bodied nature of the twins is personified in the Nora Lum/Awkwafina, Norma Jean/Marilyn Monroe, Prince Rogers Nelson/Unpronounceable “Love Symbol #2” celebrity alter ego. Not to be confused with inauthenticity, the Gemini slashification of the self reflects their engagement with life as an evolving tapestry of curiosity and experimentation. This manifests as the multi-hyphenate eclecticism celebrated by the model-turned-writer-turned-podcast host Emily Ratajkowski or Awkwafina as jazz trumpeter-turned-rapper-turned-comedian-turned-movie star. 

The intellectually playful nature of Mercury’s children means they love to anthropomorphize their pets, who will likely have elaborate backstories, distinct literary tastes, and staunch ideological positions on controversial topics. Case in point: Awkwafina’s concerns about how her cat, Gus, would share the household with her newly adopted dog, Haeng-Un, who was rescued from South Korea by the non-profit Korean K9 Rescue in 2021. “That MF is crazy in a weird Tinder date way, you know? Like if he was a human, he’d make you listen to all the beats he made in college and then make you a mediocre pasta dish,” she wrote of Gus on her Instagram Story. Gus’s reputation precedes him — he’s already known for giving paw, sitting on cue, and secretly teaching himself to use the toilet.

Change Comes Easy

Gemini pets and parents alike are nourished by the social exchange and camaraderie of those who share their environment; species, age, or background is irrelevant. Their flexible nature means they are highly adaptable to change. In fact, as confirmed by Awkwafina’s Instagram update on Gus’s reaction to Haeng-Un joining the Lum family, newcomers will likely be met with unrestrained enthusiasm, consensually dubious licking, and aggressive spooning.

If Gus teaching himself to use the restroom is not proof enough of the auto-didactical acumen of the Gemini, let’s throw Prince into the mix and add musical polymath to the bio. The self-taught multi-instrumentalist exemplified the transgressive capacity of Gemini creativity, subverting conventions of gender, genre, sexuality, race, and spirituality through his refusal to settle into any one category. A less-celebrated aspect of his legacy was his commitment to anti-speciesism as an outspoken animal rights activist since the ’90s.

As Prince acknowledges in “Animal Kingdom,” a veganism-promoting track he recorded for PETA, “We’re all members of the animal kingdom.” The famously private virtuoso reportedly shared his life with multiple cats and dogs over the years, including two Yorkies named Mia and Hena and a long-haired tortoiseshell cat, Paisley. His other enduring loves were two doves, Majesty and Divinity, whom he lived with for over 25 years. The doves fell completely silent after Prince died in 2016 and were only cooing again once they heard his music.

Pets Are Geminis’ True Friends

Geminis don’t expect you to stay the same, but they are often not granted the same freedom from others in their lives. The darkness of being held captive in a role of one’s own making was a struggle in Monroe’s life. Her fierce intelligence was constantly downplayed as artifice: the novelty of a bombshell holding a book (eye roll). Monroe took solace in the friendship of various canine companions throughout her life, famously quipping, “Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” Her delight in the company of animals was well-documented, with an entire archival sub-genre dedicated to her animal encounters.

Sharing a relationally inclined intelligence and penchant for variety within the familiar, dogs make enthusiastic allies for the official sign of the coffee run. No stranger to the charms of animals and the aesthetically blessed, Ratajkowski is queen of the sidewalk-as-runway dog-walking flex, spawning her own sub-category of street-style coverage: EmRata walking Colombo in NYC. Ratajkowski has been flaunting the accessorizing acumen of this sartorially eclectic sign since adopting the Husky / German Shepherd mix in 2019. A regular feature on EmRata’s socials, Columbo is an enthusiastic participant in the Gemini urge to post a candid thirst trap.

Gemini season invites you to celebrate your own multivalence, with all your virtues, vices, and inconsistencies. To have the audacity to look hot while reading, to be inspired, to be challenged, to be changed by the world around you. And to never underestimate the power of changing your mind because you can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks.