Second Nature
Did you know that clownfish change sex from male to female? (So if Nemo’s mom had died in real life, his dad would have become his mom.) Did you know that albatross, penguins and swans parent in same sex pairs? Or that bonobos, who are just as closely related to us as chimps, are matriarchal and have same-sex sex every day?!
Debunking myths that females are “inferior” and being queer is somehow “unnatural,” Second Nature explores the 1500+ animal species who engage in same-sex sexual behavior and parenting, change sex, form matriarchies, and more…
Second Nature — everything you didn’t learn in highschool biology.
“During my first Gay Pride march at the age of 50, I looked around myself and saw thousands and thousands of people that science said could not exist. And yet there we were...it dawned on me: it can’t be the people who are defective.... it’s got to be the science.”
— Dr. Joan Roughgarden (she/her)
Professor Emeritus, Stanford University, Author of Evolution’s Rainbow
“People see the March of Penguins and they're like, ‘Oh, penguins, they're such good parents, they're monogamous and straight.’ But they don't know- penguins pair bond with members of the same sex all the time! So do black swans, grey geese… Many waterfowl are very gay!”
— Dr. Patricia Brennan (she/her)
Evolutionary Biologist, Mt Holyoke University
“In reality, sex change is common throughout reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Blue wrasse are fish that commonly change sex. Oftentimes, the males get eaten up, and if the females were not capable of changing sex, then the species would go extinct.”
— Dr Joseph Graves (he/him)
Evolutionary Biologist, NCAT, Author of Voice in the Wilderness: A pioneering biologist explains how evolution can help us solve our biggest problems.
“Those of us who are challenging longstanding systems of power, we know we’re going to get pushback. But we present our cases anyway. And when we are challenged, we put our knowledge to the test to stand up for the truth.”
— Dr. Amy Parish (she/her)
Darwinian Feminist, Primatologist and Anthropologist, Professor at USC
“Homosexual behavior has been portrayed as unnatural even though dolphins, elephants, goats, all sorts of animals do it!”
— Dr Frans de Waal (he/him)
Primatologist and Anthropologist of Emory University, Author of Different: Gender through the Eyes of a Primatologist
Screenings
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LA: April 5, 2024
04-05-24 7:00 PM
Second Nature screens at the Natural History Museum of LA for their First Fridays event. Enjoy science talks, a screening, drinks, dancing and after hours access to the exhibitions.
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SF Premiere: PRIDE 2024
We can’t announce where or when yet, but we will be screening in San Francisco during SF Pride 2024!
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COMING SOON!
Second Nature is coming to a screen near you. Stay Tuned!
Let’s connect!
Please reach out if you’d like to screen Second Nature, write about the film, share it with your students, or just learn more about the project. Thank you! Can’t wait to talk about queer animals with you!
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