"It’s a mommy, daddy and baby [insert animal here]!” 

Statements like this are often heard by those walking through our institutions and may be an accurate description of the conservation portion of our missions, yet they can also be a manifestation of an idea that influences how we connect with our audiences. The stories we tell are often centered upon conservation and therefore reproduction; however, we should not limit our stories to these. When we share the diverse stories of nature, we are better able to connect to diverse audiences, empowering them to join our missions.

Individuals, both human and non-human, have stereotypically been categorized into a gender binary of male and female based upon physiology, physical characteristics, and behavioral expression. In reality, this binary is based on historical cultural norms and societal expectations. The social construct of gender extends further, imposing a system of standards that have established opposite-sex attraction and the male/female binary as the ‘default’ or ‘norm’—a concept termed heteronormativity. 

Messaging that reinforces heteronormative structures, such as gender-based color schemes, gender reveals, and stories in television, books, and movies, surround our audiences from an early age. In nature, stories focused on opposite sex courtship, sexual dimorphism, reproduction and conservation messaging can reinforce this idea in our own organizations. When an animal challenges this heteronormative perspective, it is often considered ‘unique’ or ‘abnormal,’ but it is more common than we are led to believe. “And Tango Makes Three” popularized same-sex penguin relationships while dolphins and bonobos are lauded for their promiscuity.

Beyond these well-known examples, there are over 1,500 species that have been observed with non-heteronormative expressions, including: 

• The desert grassland whiptail lizard is entirely female, and mounting and courtship increases fertility.
• Female hyenas are dominant and have an enlarged clitoris, called a pseudopenis. 
• Ravens form bisexual trios. 
• Flamingos form same-sex pairs which occasionally steal eggs from heterosexual pairs. 
• Intersex black and grizzly bears have produced cubs. 
• In American bison, many male bison are functionally bisexual. 
• Intersex savanna baboons have become the highest ranking and most powerful troop members. 
• Countless fish species change sex at different points in their lives for varying reasons.
• A population of lionesses in Botswana have manes and engage in stereotypical male behaviors. 
• Bluegill sunfish have four morphological categories which can reflect four different genders. 
• In some giraffe study sites, male same-sex behavior has been observed in a higher frequency than heterosexual behavior.

Unfortunately, many of these behaviors and expressions are not widely known, hidden behind inaccessible language, explained away, relegated to footnotes, or omitted from publications. Our own teams may not be aware of the stories and behaviors within our collections, and we may be discouraged from sharing them with visitors. Our missions empower us to include our audiences in natural spaces and conservation, but by neglecting to share these stories, we are missing that mark. Evolutionary biologist Dr. Joan Roughgarden presents this spectacularly: “suppressing the full story of gender and sexuality denies diverse people their right to feel at one with nature and relegates conservation to a niche movement—the politics of a privileged identity.”  

Claims of non-heteronormative identities as “unnatural” are used in attempts to harm LGBTQIA2S+ people and often serve as an excuse for discriminatory actions. Queer people are not born into a community of support, instead identifying and building a network around themselves. Youth grow up in a heteronormative world and may spend years alone finding and learning to accept themselves, before risking everything to seek acceptance from others. We as zoological professionals are able to provide queer people a sense of belonging and inclusion through sharing diverse stories. In the book Interpreting LGBT History in Museums and Historic Sites, Susan Ferentinos identifies this sense of belonging as “the most compelling reason to consider interpreting the LGBT past” and continues by saying “to offer roots to those who have at one time or another found themselves without any is a powerful gift indeed.” With the abundance of stories to share, we have the power to give LGBTQIA+ individuals roots in the natural world. 

So how can we introduce non-heteronormative content into our messaging? Like other socially “controversial” subjects, there may be fears and uncertainty around telling these stories, but we are in a strong position to share these stories and provoke our visitors to think differently about the natural world. Yes, there may be negative social media comments, upset members, and general opposition, but when looking at our missions, sharing these stories is an instrumental part of them. There are many ways we can welcome and include queer people in our stories and institutions: 

• Host lectures or community events highlighting non-heteronormative behavior, especially in line with historic dates and recognition periods (November—Transgender Awareness Week, June—Pride, October—LGBTQ History Month). 
• Partner with local LGBTQIA2S+ community groups. 
• Support team members in learning the non-heteronormative expressions in our collections.
• Accept non-heteronormative behavior in our facilities as natural (e.g. bachelor giraffe herds) and share these with visitors. 
• Modify long-term signage or create novel exhibits that include non-heteronormative stories to existing stories.
• Establish gender-neutral restrooms, policies, and programs.
• Use gender-neutral and inclusive language (eliminate “ladies and gentlemen” and similar phrases) and encourage the sharing of pronouns.
• Ensure queer-identifying staff feel comfortable and safe in expressing their identity. 
• Reference and apply the American Alliance of Museums’ LGBT Welcoming Guidelines. 
• Do all of these year-round and not just during Pride celebrations!  

Nature is a rainbow—the only limit to the diversity of gender expressions and sexual orientations is in our understanding. Historically, zoological institutions have reinforced heteronormative perspectives of nature, but as zoo professionals, we have the power to shift the focus. Through sharing these stories, we can create a sense of inclusion in the conservation field and provide a greater sense of belonging to people who have been oppressed and excluded from society. As an industry, we can challenge society and build connections between the LGBTQIA+ community and the natural world. 

“The true story of nature is profoundly empowering for peoples of minority gender expressions and sexualities.” – Joan Roughgarden 

---

Back to All Stories