Explaining The “Pluto in Virgo” Generation (1958—1971)

If you were born between approx. 1958–1971, then you have Pluto in Virgo in your birth chart. Here, I’ll explain what that meant for this generation.

Pluto spends about 10-30 years in each zodiac sign, therefore making up an entire generation of children being born. It also defines a key moment in history that comes with its own social characteristics.

Due to retrogrades, the Pluto years are not exact, so please use a birth chart calculator to double check your Pluto sign (time of birth not required!)

Pluto spent about 13 years in the sign of Virgo. And during this short time, the cultural impact was absolutely magnificent. Specifically looking at the United States, society went through a drastic shift. This shift involved rebellion, individual rights, and social justice. And it took A LOT of work!

The sign of Virgo represents independence and individuality – it is the “Virgin.” In ancient times, the term “virgin” meant an unmarried woman, which was rare in a time when women belonged to their husbands and had little rights. It is not associated with “purity” or “abstinence” like it is in modern context. It is a hard-working sign that values health, routines, and daily tasks.

In pop culture, this generation is associated with both baby boomers and Gen-X. You could call them “late boomers” or “early Gen-X-ers.”

Psychedelic Healing Leads to Greater Empathy

Pluto was in Virgo during the years 1958 through 1971. This marks a period that can be referred to as the “Virgo Era.” This is possibly the most extreme culture shift that the United States (and several other parts of the world) went through. It begins with patriotism and ends with deep distrust in the government. It starts off with racial and gender inequality and ends with demand for change.

The late 1950s and early 60s were the incubation period of the Hippie Age. The 1950s brought a breakthrough in research of psychedelic substances. Figures including Albert Hofmann and Aldous Huxley studied these compounds as means of healing, increasing empathy, and treating mental disorders such as PTSD and depression. By the 1960s, psychiatrists were running professional studies on the positive impact of psychedelics.

But on the dark side, the CIA took control of psychedelics and exploited them for their ability to distort perception and induce psychosis. They took a powerful compound with potential healing powers and used it as a mental weapon. Authorities and institutions began demonizing psychedelics. For example, Timothy Leary was a Harvard psychologist, dismissed by the university due to his advocacy for these compounds.

By the late 1960s, psychedelics such as LSD had escaped the lab and got into the hands of everyday people. And most of these people were the Leo Generation, being in their twenties around this period. The power of psychedelics helped people open their minds and increase their empathy – therefore demanding social justice and rights.

Virgo is connected to health and medicine, so it makes sense that the Virgo era was highly defined by a type of “drug” that could lead to enormous healing – but also came with an unfortunate dark side that could be weaponized by the CIA.

The Hippies Change The World

In the Virgo Era, psychedelics are only one piece of the puzzle. Surely, these compounds helped propel forward a new age of greater empathy and equality. But there was an overall shift in culture. It’s not like everybody was doing LSD – but a lot of people were getting into yoga, practicing meditation, and joining hippie communes. There was an urge to drop out of society and reconnect with primal forces.

There was the sexual revolution, with the invention of the birth control pill in 1960. Women were gaining rights – going to college, spreading through the workforce, and wearing pants. The men were rebelling too – growing out their hair and their beards, trading suits for shorts and t-shirts. Blind loyalty to the government and corporations was replaced with independent pursuits and start-up businesses.

In 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech, followed by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Black pride and cultural identity became more widespread. And more Black representation came through music and television.

All of this connects to the independent qualities of Virgo. Society was no longer about fitting into a box – it was about accepting one another’s differences, being proud of your differences.

Music & Fashion as a Form of Individuality

The Virgo Generation came into adulthood in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. The generation above them (Leo Plutonians) proved themselves to be bold, experimental, and radical. The Virgo Generation proved themselves to be just as intense – but in a more calm and collected way.

The Virgo Generation youths declared the death of disco in the year 1979. This generation is a sharp contrast from the flashy and theatrical Leo Generation. The Virgo Plutonians were less interested in dance clubs and more interested in changing the world. They preferred music with more serious tones and impactful messages.

But what about 80s pop? The difference in 80s pop verses 70s disco is that the pop music was about self-reliance and individuality. Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper were building identities for themselves. Disco was more about dancing with the crowd – while 80s pop was about being your own person.

The late 1970s and the 80s were a turning point in which music became a marker of individuality. Before this time, music was much more generalized, with everyone listening to the same thing. As the Virgo Generation grew up, music broke into sub-genres and several different niches. “Rock” became an umbrella term that represented an entire rainbow of music styles.

This was a generation that valued the power of the self. Artists began releasing music under independent labels. Your taste in music helped define you – and helped you stand out from the crowd.

And of course – you can’t think of the 80s without acknowledging the wild fashion choices. Boys and girls alike of this generation spent several hours styling their hair in order to make it big, spikey, and just perfect! They also put a lot of thought into their clothing – including carefully-matching accessories and artistic makeup.

The Fitness Boom & Diet Obsession

As Virgo is an extremely health-conscious sign, the Virgo Generation brought about a fitness boom. This time saw the explosion of aerobics, jogging, gym memberships, at-home workouts on VHS, and weightlifting. And fitness clothing such as leggings, tank tops, sweatpants, and sweatbands came into fashion.

The men of this generation became incredibly interested in muscle building. And the women became focused on slimming down. Exercise routines became a part of everyday life.

However, they also became obsessive when in came to diet and nutrition – in a way that actually could do more harm than good. Whereas previous generations focused on overall balanced meals and eating more vegetables, the Virgo Plutonians zoned in on calories, fat content, chloresterol, etc.

While the sign of Virgo is connected to health, it’s also known for fixating too hard on the small details. As they moved further into adulthood, this generation demanded Nutritional Facts labels on all foods in the year 1994. And from fear of fats and sugars, they popularized artificial sweeteners like Splenda, and fat-free alternatives such as “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!”

Ambitious and Competitive Careers

Virgo is an extremely hardworking sign, making this generation highly ambitious and competitive when it comes to their career. With most of them entering the workforce in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, this period marked a time of strong professionalism.

The 1980s coined the term “yuppies,” referring to people (mainly of this generation) who worked high-powered corporate jobs, with good educations, and valued high-paying salaries. Workaholism, consumerism, materialism, and status obsession took over.

Women were coming into the workforce at full-speed. Whereas previous generations had been housewives or worked pink-collar jobs, now they were taking on the same career paths as men. The “career woman” became a classic archetype of the 1980s.

At the same time, this is a generation that prefers self-sufficiency and doesn’t like being told what to do, so most of them strived hard to become bosses, supervisors, managers, and CEOs. Or, they started their own businesses.

Dynamics between Other Generations

The majority of the Virgo Generation became parents of kids in the Scorpio Generation (1983-1995) or the Sagittarius Generation (1995-2008.)

Virgo Generation parents with Scorpio generation kids:
- You both come from intense generations. However, you may clash with your kids who desire to break the rules and bring chaos to the world – whereas you prefer routine, stability, and structure. Both of you relate in your need for independence – you value self-sufficiency while your kids desire periods of isolation. You operate on a logical level while your kids operate on an emotional level.
Virgo Generation parents with Sagittarius generation kids:
- While you value routine and predictability, your kids are much more restless – requiring constant stimulating and travel. Both of you are big goal-setters. However, you may worry that your kids have goals that are “too big” or more extreme. You can help them take things one step at a time before they burn out – and they can help you dream a little bigger.

The majority of the Virgo Generation were raised by the Cancer Generation (1912 — 1939) or the Leo Generation (1939-1958.)

Every generation faces criticisms and misunderstandings by others. The Cancer Generation strongly prioritized family life and motherhood – likely insulted the Virgo Generation for having working wives or working mothers – claiming that they are not family-oriented enough.

The Leo Generation, bold and expressive, likely insulted the Virgo Generation for caring too much about work and health – calling them “too serious.” However, something that both of these generations have in common is their value for individuality.

And the Libra Generation, who comes after them, also criticized them for being “too serious” – along with too hardworking – as the Libra Generation favors comfort, balance, and pleasure.

An impactful generation

The age of Pluto in Virgo (1958-1971) marked a significant transition in which society lost trust in the government, became more self-sufficient, and went through increased empathy that led to social justice. The kids born during this time grew up to be health conscious and hard working, while holding onto their sense of independence through fashion, music, and lifestyle.

Crystal Aura Gaze

Explaining The “Pluto in Virgo” Generation (1958—1971)

If you were born between approx. 1958–1971, then you have Pluto in Virgo in your birth chart. Here, I’ll explain what that meant for this generation.