Big ups to BFs.
National Boyfriend Day arrives on Oct. 3, allowing us to recognize the ways our partners show up in relationships. It need not be a celebration of romantic partnership, but of platonic friendship as well.
As National Today declares,” Although there’s no sole officially-credited source that initiated this important day, some smart person probably realized boyfriends didn’t have their own acknowledged day and came up with this great idea. And why not? Girlfriends have their own day!”
I suppose since the beginning of time, they just haven’t been ordained with enough accolades and attaboys. With an eye roll and a raised glass, read on to learn more about what kind of boyfriend you are based on your zodiac sign. To help illustrate these archetypes, we’ll be using examples from film, TV and the compelling vacuum of celebrity relationships.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of masculinity, both toxic and divine.
As such, these dudes, like any dudes, run the gamut from heroic to horrific as partners.
Hot-blooded and hard-headed, Aries is cardinal fire incarnate; intensity is their birthright, and the cold shoulder is nearly impossible for them to pull off. You will never lack excitement or feel unsure about where you stand with an Aries partner; expect maximum fireworks and absolutely zero compromise.
They love like fever, and if you can allow the bluntness of their delivery, their honesty, though bracing, is refreshing. At their very best and mostly because they can’t help it, Aries at large and in the scope of relationships are wholly themselves, 100% authentic, take it or leave it, no lie in their fire.
A prime example of a fictional Aries boyfriend? Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona in “10 Things I Hate About You.”
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
A Taurus boyfriend wants to be comfortable and wants you to join them in that well-appointed pasture.
Ruled by Venus, and the very first earth sign, Taurus prefers a raw kind of beauty, cheeks flushed from sex and sun, unrefined sugar and unpolished stones. It is not so much that they are deeply resistant to change, as they are cognizant of what they have and deeply cautious when it comes to shifting or jeopardizing that honey pot.
You will never go hungry or horny with a Taurus partner, but it is possible that the food and the f—ing will lack variety. They’re also sullen/nonverbal/emotionally punishing when hurt.
On that same token, it is unlikely a Taurus will sleep with your mom or leave you out of the blue on a spring day without cause or warning.
Holding a grudge and offering a pitcher, Cary Elwes as farm boy/dread pirate Roberts/Westley in “The Princess Bride” is the prototypical Taurus boyfriend.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of the mind and its mechanizations.
Wielding wit like a weapon and keeping it light to avoid getting too close, the Gemini boyfriend is not so much a person to know as a wave to ride.
They can make you feel the fall between anointed and expendable in the span of a single sentence. Because their interests are wide and their attention spans short, Geminis need near-constant stimulation.
If you’re willing to keep their pace and weather their ever-changing mood, you will learn much and travel far. Yet, it’s exhausting to be compelling at every turn and ire arises when the Gemini boyfriend makes their partner feel like they are a book that’s been read and can now be retired.
Charming, bad at dancing, effusive and cruel, Armie Hammer as Oliver in “Call Me By Your Name” gives serious Gemini boyfriend energy.
CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
Cancer represents the archetype of the mother, and by and large, Cancer boyfriends are ever and only looking for or responding to some measure of maternal ideal or failure.
It takes an ocean of time and emotional mettle to get them to crack open, but inside it’s pure marshmallow center and emo gold.
These people feel deep and love hard, and their relationships are punctuated by wistful melancholia and periods of deep brooding.
They hold a candle for the past and the down comforter lifted for a partner who can make them feel safe enough to shed their shell.
Home-saving, mother-loving Henry Golding as Nick Young in “Crazy Rich Asians” is a fictional, probable Cancer boyfriend.
Second and third place go to Josh Lucas as Jake Perry in “Sweet Home Alabama” and Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun in “The Notebook.”
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
At their best, Leo boyfriends are the human equivalent of a lion cub, affectionate and fierce, playful and purposeful, warm and protective, more roar than tooth.
Ruled by the life-giving sun and the compass of the human heart, Leos are the great romantics of the zodiac. For them, love is a production, and its expression is a noble pursuit.
They see themselves as the protagonist of a story, and they get disappointed when the person they cast as their counterpart questions their actions and/or fails to amplify their shine.
As with all regal beings, to love a Leo is to share them. They belong first and always to the world they want and the audience/community they seek validation from.
Simba in “The Lion King” is the literal and figurative embodiment of the Leo boyfriend. It’s his hero’s journey, but he’s down to have a loyal partner to roll around with, stargaze, and stand atop ye olde pride rock beside. Second place goes to Aleksandr Petrovsky in “Sex and The City.”
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Virgo is mutable earth and the salt of it.
Virgo boyfriends are no bull—t and here to help. Just as likely to fix your garbage disposal as they are to correct your grammar, these people really want the best for you and out of you.
Virgos are about refinement and directness and don’t really engage in tactics of psychological torture, ghosting, or arrogant aloofness to the extent of other zodiac signs. A prime (and prim) example of a Virgo boyfriend at best and worst can be found in the characters of Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Mark Darcy in “Bridget Jones.”
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Ruled by the decadent, beauty-loving planet Venus, Libras cannot abide by the less-finer or abjectly uglier things in life, like conflict, coarse sheets, and unwavering commitment.
Charming to an almost diabolical degree and adept at making things look and people feel beautiful, they have no trouble attracting admirers, but struggle to fully invest and wholly dedicate themselves in a relationship.
About keeping the peace and dodging blame, Libra boyfriends are famously non-confrontational. In pursuit of harmony and maintaining appearances, they often sidestep hard truths.
The sign of the scales and balances, at worst, Libras, both intentionally and unintentionally, make their partners feel like they don’t measure up.
On the upswing, there is no social situation in which a Libra cannot flourish, nor interior they cannot improve. Their aesthetic instincts and artistic observations are spot on, even if their hearts are lonely hunters.
Famously flirtatious, their coquetry runs the gamut from harmless to utterly destabilizing. If you’re the jealous sort or the suspicious type, a Libra bro (Libro?) ain’t for you. For this reason, Scorpio and Libra make for a trying match. Ross from “Friends” is the quintessential Libra boyfriend.
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SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
The Scorpio boyfriend finds true thrill in the strange and the secretive. This is the kind of partner who wants to know everything about you, frames your X-rays, makes art from your menstrual blood, and ain’t afraid of your shame.
Obsessive, loyal and dramatic, the Scorpio boyfriend rules the genitalia, but is most interested in the dark heart of the truth. Resourceful, this is a sign most likely to go to devastating lengths to keep their beloved satisfied, and the kind of person you want on your zombie apocalypse team.
Trust is hard won with a Scorpio, and wrath is easily incurred. Scorpio is also a closet romantic who craves/fears absolute intimacy and total entwinement in equal measure.
For an example of an all-out, tattoo your eyes on my thighs, passion as performance art, be still my goth heart Scorpio boyfriend, look no further than Travis Barker.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
The Sagittarius boyfriend is naturally imbued with a rumpled, rock ‘n’ roll, devil may care, good hair Peter Pan ’til I perish vibe.
Optimistic they think they can (and often do) get away with just about anything and feel more confident than most going after people out of their league or beyond their sphere of influence.
Committed to freedom before any person, they do well in relationships without restrictions.
Never afraid to shoot their shot, send a text, support an impulse decision, or hold a proverbial boombox on your front lawn, the Sagittarius boyfriend is made manifest in the character of Lloyd Dobler in “Say Anything,” described by writer/director Cameron Crowe as a symbol of “optimism as a revolutionary act.”
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Capricorns are a discerning ilk who hold themselves and their loved ones to a high standard.
Not big on grandiose displays of affection or poetics, a Capricorn wanting to be in a relationship with you is evidence enough of the high regard they have for you.
They don’t slum, folks. Industrious and disciplined, they know what they want and are not interested in anything or anyone who takes them off course.
In kind, Capricorn plays the long game. Defined by their ability to endure, invest and provide, these aren’t people susceptible to whim or flights of fancy.
Neigh, they’re dedicated to a common cause of coupledom, the ROI of relationships, and partners who want to help them conquer. They are looking to build, willing to commit, and are generally sturdy AF so long as your back, like your work ethic, is strong. A cinematic example of a Cap boyfriend would be Omar Epps as Quincy McCall in “Love & Basketball.”
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Uncompromising lone wolf types, water bearers are resistant to rules, standards or expectations. They want a partner they can be their whole weird self with, but also fear the sting of rejection/being known more than any other sign.
Abstract thinkers, they are more interested in intellectualizing emotion than experiencing it. Fixed air, these are the kind of men who will make you a papier-mâché telescope or pay to name a constellation after you, but never say “I love you.”
PSA about dating an Aquarius, it will never be ordinary, it will often be worth it. An apex Aquarius boyfriend can be found in beet-farming, cat-killing, off-kilter romantic Dwight Schrute in “The Office.”
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Big on fantasy, altered states, obscure poetry and lofty romantic ideals, fish folk and Pisces boyfriends are loathe to harsh anyone’s mellow or to live in a world that doesn’t cater to true love, mythical creatures and their own pastel delusions.
Ruled by Neptune, planet of dreams, premonitions and creativity, Pisces believes and does their damndest to ensure that relationships can be fairy tales and that love can last.
For evidence of the hope and artistry that defines a Pisces partner, look no further than actor/writer Kumail Nanjiani, who stood sentinel at the bedside of his comatose girlfriend for three months, deciding to marry her in the process. Later, the pair would collaborate on the movie “The Big Sick,” a cinematic retelling of their unlikely love story.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
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.