Natural Nature

I would be remiss if I made no mention of the recently opened exhibit at the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo [Norway] , "dedicated to gay animals", called "Against Nature?" The Norwegians can be such a sensible lot sometimes.

According to BBC news:

The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week and says it has been well attended, not least by families.

Organisers reported early criticism of the project, and being told by one opponent they would "burn in hell".

Excerpts from the online information about the exhibit (follow the links from the page above to read all informative essay):

On Thursday October 12 2006 The Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, opened the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to gay animals.

Today we know that homosexuality is a common and widespread phenomenon in the animal world. Not only short-lived sexual relationships, but even long-lasting partnerships; partnerships that may last a lifetime.

The exhibit puts on display a small selection among the more than 1500 species where homosexuality have been observed. This fascinating story of the animals' secret life is told by means of models, photos, texts and specimens. The visitor will be confronted with all sorts of creatures from tiny insects to enormous spermwhales.
[…]
Sadly, most museums have no traditions for airing difficult, concealed, and possibly controversial questions. Homosexuality is certainly such a question. We feel confident that a greater understanding of how extensive and common this behaviour is among animals, will help to de-mystify homosexuality among people. – At least, we hope to reject the all too well known argument that homosexual behaviour is a crime against nature.
[…]
Why haven’t we been told?
Homosexuality in animals has been known since Antiquity, but has only recently made it into mainstream science. The cause may be a lack of interest, distaste, ridicule or scientists fearing to lose their grants. The few scientists publishing on the topic, often made sure their own sexual preferences were known, directly or indirectly.

Some scientists have interpreted same-sex pairing as anything but sex. In a study of giraffes in Africa a researcher registered all cases where a male sniffed a female as “sexual interest” – while anal intercourse with ejaculation between males was registered as a form of ritualised fighting (“sparring”), despite the fact that 94% of all registered sexual activity in one area took place between males. Only recently has scientists started investigating homosexuality in animals in earnest.
[…]

Posted on October 23, 2006 at 01.20 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Faaabulosity, The Art of Conversation

3 Responses

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  1. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Monday, 23 October 2006 at 23.20
    Permalink

    Well, uff da!

    However, I notice the narrative refers to homosexuality as a behavior. Doing a minstrel-show number in blackface is a behavior, but it doesn't make an Al Jolson African American.

    Seems to me this show means well but at least in its description does a disservice to the cause of better understanding.

  2. Written by chris
    on Tuesday, 24 October 2006 at 22.38
    Permalink

    one can certainly speak of sexual orientation in human beings, because we can be questioned and talk coherently about our inner feelings, thoughts and emotions.

    with respect, SWA, how can you coherently speak of orientation in those terms among animals, with whom we have no common language? I don't think you can. What biologists can (and, in Oslo, do) speak about is observed behaviours.

    The exhibit is a sock-in-the-eye to the "homosexuality is unnatural! it's not in the animal kingdom! only humans are perverts like this!" gang.

    Admittedly, many of those people are not big on giving credence to the experimental observables that scientists tend to place great reliance on (preferring, usually, centuries-old religious tomes that can be read in a way to support their presuppositions and squick-lists). But to rational people, it does have persuasive impact.

    You say the Oslo exhibit does a disservice. I disagree. If it can get people to realise that homosexuality is indeed found in more species than Homo sapiens then it will have done significant service to general understanding, particularly for those of us H. sapiens who happen to be homo.

  3. Written by rightsaidfred
    on Friday, 27 October 2006 at 08.25
    Permalink

    I would say the exhibit overreaches a bit in portraying the extent of homosexual individuals in the animal world. Dominant males will attempt copulation with lesser males as a dominant behavior, not because that individual is homosexual. Groups of males in the presence of a female in estrus will attempt to copulate with each other, again, not because those individuals are homosexual.

    But I think it is well established that homosexual individuals exist in nature. There is quite a bit of research on homosexuality in sheep: I think I read once where up to 10% of rams are homosexual. I recall a news story where members of a college football team went to kidnap the mascot of the opposing Rams, and they ended up at the experiment station, and police stopped them on the highway as the players were hauling one of the homosexual subjects back to the clubhouse

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