For the astrologically inclined, October 23 marked the beginning of the spookiest time of all: Scorpio season, the month-long period associated with chaos, unexpected intensity, and darkness on account of the sun’s position in Scorpio. The change wasn’t lost on Dorothea Lasky and Alex Dimitrov, the duo behind the esoteric horoscope account Astro Poets (@poetastrologers), which boasts more than half a million followers on Twitter. Amid tweets about their upcoming book—and their appearances in various big-name media outlets—the Astro Poets warned their legions of fans of the coming celestial chaos.
Chaos did indeed envelop the Astro Poets community. But the sun in Scorpio wasn’t to blame. Instead, strangely enough, it was the tech backlash.
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On October 24, Astro Poets announced a partnership with Airbnb, writing “travel horoscopes” for their followers. It seemed like run-of-the-mill sponcon: The poets recommended the most astrologically fitting cities—and specific Airbnb rentals—for wannabe travelers based on their zodiac signs. They posted short wanderlust-themed horoscopes to Twitter, along with a link to a more detailed list of sponsored recommendations in an Airbnb press release.
Though the post was largely innocuous—and seemingly on-brand—the reaction from fans was swift and brutal. Followers quickly descended upon the tweet in a fury, accusing the astrology duo of displacing minority groups and supporting unfair rental practices and companies that disregard local laws in the name of profit, among many other things, referencing popular criticisms of Airbnb’s business practices and their effects on cities. The outrage engulfed the announcement and then some, growing from hundreds of angry replies to bona fide trend within the astrology community.
Joey De Jesus, a Queens-based poet running for New York State Assembly, decried the move on Twitter for celebrating gentrification and the displacement of New Yorkers.
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After days of growing criticism from fans and others in the astrology community, Astro Poets issued a statement late Monday evening: “In light of the recent conversation, we've made a donation to The Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network,” they said on Twitter. But that didn’t quell their followers’ rage. In response to queries criticizing them for failing to denounce their “partnership” with Airbnb, Astro Poets said they didn’t “have an ongoing partnership or sponsorship with Airbnb, it was a one-off content piece; the proceeds from our collaboration with Airbnb Experiences also went to The Creators Collective, a Brooklyn nonprofit we chose.”
That didn’t quiet the storm either. “Donating to an arts non-profit, even if they seem net good, does not mitigate that you willingly helped airbnb artwash their violent displacement of renters and the working class,” replied one fan.
The strange controversy speaks to latent animosity toward Airbnb, a company that has largely avoided the ire of consumers despite the rising tech backlash. The online critics cited concerns about the short-term rental platform’s impact on local housing stock, its potential for gentrification, and its popularity among predatory landlords and other property owners who transform housing into de facto hotels. This echoes many of the issues raised by city officials across the country, who have struggled to regulate short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway as they surge in popularity.
In Jersey City, New Jersey, an impending contentious vote on home-sharing regulations has become the most expensive local referendum in the state’s history. Elsewhere, Airbnb has settled lawsuits and tried to play nice with local officials as it prepares to go public in 2020.
Lasky and Dimitrov of Astro Poets declined to comment. Airbnb did not return a request for comment.
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