Love without barriers
Discover our latest podcast
Homo, hetero, bi - animals don’t really care about these labels, and conversely tend to show their affections very freely. In a book recently published by Albin Michel, the author compiled the conclusions of his study involving 1500 different species in order to tackle the question. In the text, French scientific journalist and ethologist, Fleur Daugey discusses the likeability of homosexual tendencies in the animal kingdom, explaining:"homosexuality is one of the possible options for animals to adapt to their various environments so that they can reproduce."
Different species such as lions as well as both male and female dolphins have often been known to engage in sexual intercourse that involves homosexual tendencies. Bonobos are considered bisexual creatures, while black Australian swans have even been seen following this lifestyle while forming same-sex-parental roles.
A scientific taboo
But why aren’t there more studies on animal homosexuality? Simply put, scientists refused to conduct research on the matter until recent years. Speaking in her book, Fleur Daugey explains that specialists of fauna studied the behaviour of species by equating sexist and homophobic attitudes against them all the way up until the 20th century.
The journalist gives the partridge, a non-migratory bird, as an example which was negatively seen as a species for its homosexual behaviour during the 18th century. Today, we can see that what has always been perfectly governed by nature was strongly misjudged by mankind throughout history.
But there’ll be further zoological studies on animal studies to come whilst research on the subject continues. If more concrete evidence forms on the matter, the findings may help to change attitudes even regarding sexuality among humans.
