Scorpios tend to get a bad rap in astrology, but hey, you can't help it that you're a complex zodiac sign (or that other signs can't seem to deal—not your problem). After all, so many things go into making you, well, you. There’s the obvious stuff like your upbringing, relationship history, and overall environment.

Then, you factor in the more, let's just say, nontraditional aspects of your personality, like your zodiac sign, and there's even more going on. You've got your natal and progressed charts, your moon sign, and your Saturn return—just to name a few. Still, the biggie in astrology is your Sun sign, a.k.a. the one you look up when poring over your horoscope. And if you were born between October 23 and November 21, your Sun sign is Scorpio.

Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer at Horoscope.com and Astrology.com, and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power, confirms that this sign has the worst reputation of all the zodiac—Scorpios are known for being mean or toxic—but that’s actually the lowest vibrational state of this powerhouse sign. The little scorpion that stings you is only one of the animals in the Scorpio cadre. FYI: There's also the snake that represents lifting and coming into power, and then there's the Phoenix.

Meet the Experts:
Narayana Montúfar is a senior astrologer at Horoscope.com and Astrology.com, and the author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power.

Jessica Lanyadoo is a humanistic astrologer and author of Astrology for Real Relationships: Understanding You, Me, and How We All Get Along.

Donna Page is a professional astrologer based in Atlanta, Georgia.

"We hear about the Phoenix in relation to a Scorpio rising out of the ashes of trauma, negativity, or whatever else that person is going through," she says. "This is the fully realized Scorpio, rising above." (Sorry not sorry, Scorpios are too busy flying high and going after their goals to get bogged down by negative stereotypes!)

The way Jessica Lanyadoo, humanistic astrologer and author of Astrology for Real Relationships: Understanding You, Me, and How We All Get Along, sees it, “Scorpio governs over taboos, sex, and sexuality–the deep things we don't talk about in life. People are scared of that and so there’s a way that Scorpio gets demonized as a result.”

The Scorpio sign is complex, but also pretty damn beautiful. Here are all the major signs you’re a Scorpio, plus how these traits can impact your life.

1. You’re intense, but in a good way.

Small talk? No thanks. "You like a depth of connection," Atlanta-based astrologer Donna Page says. "You really want to understand the deeper meaning of who someone is." That means you’re not afraid to look into someone’s soul, I mean, eyes and ~really~ get to know them. You'd rather have a few deep, ride-or-die friendships than dozens of surface-level ones.

When you’re chatting with a Scorpio, expect to talk more about your childhood trauma and adolescent wounds than, say, the weather and your favorite color. This sign goes deep fast, and if you’re not into examining the depths of your soul, chances are a Scorpio will move on.

"Scorpios don’t like a lot of people," adds Montúfar. "They are suspicious of people below the surface."

2. You don’t let anything get past you.

Your natural BS detector is honed to perfection. "Scorpios, more than other signs, have a sense when something is not right," Page says. "You can’t fool a Scorpio." Intuition could basically be your middle name, since you just know when everything is good with a friend and when "I’m fine" is a load of crap.

Some signs would let that slide, but you? Not. A. Chance.

Montúfar goes as far to say that Scorpios have an internal scanner of sorts: "I am constantly just scanning people without thinking or wanting, observing their moves, and using my psychic intuition to know if I want their energy around me." Sounds practical!

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3. You’re not afraid to call someone out.

Sometimes, a Scorpio just gets P.O.ed about stuff, whether it's a backhanded compliment from a relative, or the barista just didn’t reciprocate their positive vibes when handing them an iced coffee. Either way, it’s on. A Scorpio is ready to defend themselves at all times and doesn't shy away from confrontation.

"Scorpios are not afraid to have it all out there," Page says. More than any other sign, Scorpios would rather start a heated argument than go to bed angry. (Is it any surprise that Ms. Bethenny "Mention it all!" Frankel is a Scorpio? Nope.)

Once things are aired out, though, Scorpios can move on and let go of all the bad juju. What, would you prefer it if we were fake? Cuz it ain’t happening.

4. You’re a great listener.

Are you the one on speed dial when your BFF is going through a tough time? Maybe you even find that random strangers in the line at Trader Joe’s start airing their dirty laundry to you, right there between the vegan peanut butter cups and Swedish Swimmers. That’s because Scorpios are naturally amazing listeners.

“[They have the] ability to stay emotionally present when things get heavy or intense,” says Lanyadoo. “Everyone needs a Scorpio in their corner, especially when the chips are down, because you want someone who's gonna be able to stick around and listen.”

5. You're super loyal.

Like, Labrador retriever-level loyal. "Everybody should have a Scorpio on their side," Page says. "When Scorpios believe in a relationship, they will fight for it, even if it’s difficult." Feel free to quote that in your Insta profile, btw.

6. You can be a bit introverted.

Despite the fact that Scorpios can be the definition of a ride-or-die, they also need their alone time. In fact, Scorpios are one of the more introverted signs in the zodiac. Unfortunately, this can come off as a little *too* mysterious to extroverted sun signs.

“We’re living in a culture of compulsive self-disclosure,” Lanyadoo explains. “There’s so much online sharing of our personal deep feelings, and Scorpio can be a bit of a secretive sign. Some people have a negative connotation with secrets.”

While some may have a problem with this (here’s looking at you, Leos), Lanyadoo stresses that this is actually just another positive trait.

"Some secrets can be negative but they’re also about holding things as private, as close to your chest, and that can be really healthy," she says. "There is something really powerful about a person who feels things deeply. Scorpios need space and time to be alone with themselves."

7. You are emotional.

Speaking of feeling things deeply, though Scorpios may portray sort of a prickly exterior, don’t get it twisted. This is a water sign up and down, which comes with lots of feelings. Don’t be surprised if you find a little book of love poems in your Scorpio's nightside drawer or a playlist for every mood possible stashed in their Spotify account.

"While Scorpios have a hard time connecting to their emotions, when they do, they become super powerful," says Montúfar. "In their emotional truth is where a Scorpio comes into power."

8. You’re very ~sensual~.

Break out the vibrators and the good lingerie. "Scorpios are the sexiest sign in the zodiac," Page says. Montúfar concurs—the deep passion Scorpios are into... let's just say, it's not just about the conversation! This intensity definitely extends to the bedroom (and beyond). But you're not just about physical intimacy, you crave strong emotional connections, too. And on that note...

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Scorpio Sign Compatibility

Because the Scorpio sign is more than a bit complex, looking at sun sign compatibility alone only scratches the surface. That being said, there are some sun signs Scorpios will be more compatible with than others.

Lanyadoo suggests that Scorpios couple up with the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn, because of the grounding nature of these individuals. That, or on the flip side, “people who are a little more fiery, who can run with ideas and make things happen.” Hello, Aries.

Scorpio Modality Category

There are three modalities in the zodiac: cardinal (change makers), mutable (transitioners), and fixed. Fixed signs don’t need a descriptor because they are exactly how they sound–fixed. Translation: “My way or no way at all,” Lanyadoo says.

Scorpios are sure of themselves, and that's not something every sign can say. This can cause some problems in a Scorpio’s life when it comes to relationships of any kind because they have a tendency to get stuck in their ways. Lanyadoo notes that this can be especially challenging when it comes to how Scorpios interact with the other fixed signs (Leo, Taurus, and Aquarius).

That being said, Scorpios are different from their fixed sign friends. Remember that phoenix imagery from earlier? "Scorpionic energy news itself constantly," says Montúfar. "Though Scorpios are a fixed sign, they keep renewing in order to tap into their higher powers.”

Scorpio Natural Element Sign

Plot twist: Scorpios are, in fact, a water sign–despite the fact that everyone likes to group them in with the fire signs. Not only are they a water sign through and through, they’re a *deep* water sign—their very nature is “to get emotionally deep and intense [in a way] that other people turn away from,” Lanyadoo notes.

The other water signs are Cancer and Pisces. To make a long story short, Cancer signs are emotionally responsive, while Pisces signs are emotionally feeling. Scorpio, on the other hand, “tend to be the most deep and brooding of the water signs,” Lanyadoo explains. “While they're often being impacted really deeply by other people and the environment, they're not always going to respond in a way that is obvious to others.”

Scorpio in the Workplace

Making things happen is a Scorpio sign key phrase. A calling card, if you will. “Getting to the bottom of things is the Scorpio vibe,” Lanyadoo explains. Due to this natural tendency, a lot of Scorpios find themselves in fields like journalism. “Doing things in the healing arts, working with people who are at their worst, dealing with topics that are taboo... Scorpios are good for all of those things,” Lanyadoo says.

Because Scorpio is a fixed sign, however, there can also be a rigidness to them in the workplace. Therefore, if you hit a wall when working with a Scorpio on a certain project, you're not alone. Additionally, “Scorpios are not always the first people we want to do customer service,” Lanyadoo jokes. “[They are] not going to be the best [sign] in the zodiac at hiding their annoyance.”

Scorpio in the Bedroom

If you’ll recall, Scorpio is famously the most ~sensual~ of the zodiac signs. Yes, even though it’s not a fire sign. “When we talk about sex and sexuality we use words like spicy and fire,” Lanyadoo notes. “In our patriarchal society, we don’t tend to focus on how wet sex and sexuality can be–we focus on other metaphors for it. But if we’re being honest, sex and sexuality are pretty wet, so thank you, Scorpio, for embodying it.”

So, here's to Scorpio, the big, bad, B-word of the zodiac. The dark, mysterious, sexy Scorpio in your life is exactly the kind of person you want to have in your corner for a long time–especially because they’re not just here for a good time.

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Korin Miller
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
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Jacqueline Tempera is an award-winning writer and reporter living in New Jersey with her many pets. She is a business owner and a double Scorpio who loves all things astrology and reality television. She is passionate about body diversity and representation, mental health, and the fight to end sexual assault and harassment. To learn more about Jackie, follow her on Instagram @jacktemp or visit her website at jackietempera.com

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Aliza Pelto (she/her) is a rurally raised, NYC-based writer, Gemini, and iced coffee enthusiast. Her work has appeared with The National Organization for Women, Alma, and both in print and online at BUST Magazine. When she’s not reading, recording her podcast (Little Sleep//Much Reading), or doing something witchy, you can find her dissociating via TikTok for hours on end.