Queer animals more common than believed

Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong: Part 1—The Gender Binary is the title of a lecture that Abby Hafer will give at the national queer organisation Samtökin ’78, tomorrow (Thursday) at 20PM. “You will hear about lots of queer animals, and other interesting things as well,” she promises and my curiosity is instantly awoken.

Abby Hafer is an author, scientist, educator and public speaker. Her scientific career includes a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University, many research projects in physiology, and a stint monitoring fish populations on the Bering Sea. She teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College and lives in Massachusetts. “It has always been difficult for me to get work, either research or teaching, in zoology or animal behavior. So for most of my career, I have been a physiologist.
Abby Hafer is an author, scientist, educator and public speaker. Her scientific career includes a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University, many research projects in physiology, and a stint monitoring fish populations on the Bering Sea. She teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College and lives in Massachusetts.

Wait are you saying that queer animals actually exist?
“Queer animals certainly exist! There are hundreds of species of animals who show queer behaviors of one sort or another. The list is very long, and growing all the time. There are also trans animals and animals that are intersex etc.,” she says but adds that the level of queer behavior depends on the species and the individuals.

“For instance, many animals will have sex with members of their own sex, but will also have sex with members of the opposite sex, at least enough to reproduce. This goes for seagulls and albatrosses, and non-human primates. For example, there are lesbian gulls and albatrosses who nest and raise chicks together, but have enough sex with males to be able to lay fertile eggs. Then there are skuas who often have nests with three adults raising chicks together.”

Abby says that interestingly, exclusively gay rams (male sheep) make up about eight percent of all male sheep. “These rams will forsake all contact with female sheep,” she explains. “I find it very entertaining that eight percent of them are gay because rams are considered to be a symbol of raging heterosexual horniness!”

“I find it very entertaining that eight percent of male sheep are gay because rams are considered to be a symbol of raging heterosexual horniness!”

A famous example of animals showing gay behavior were penguins at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. “These two male penguins, named Roy and Silo (see a little bit further down on the right a photo of a similiar penguin), performed mating rituals and nested together, even sitting on a stone where the egg would be,” she says. “Eventually, the zoo keepers gave them a fertilized egg to nurture, and they hatched the egg and raised the chick, whose name was Tango. The couple have since broken up.”

"Earthworms and snails are intersex. In the case of these animals, they have both male and female reproductive organs in the same body. Earthworms must still find another earthworm to mate with, though both sets of organs can mate during the same session. Snails, on the other hand, can self-fertilize."
“Earthworms and snails are intersex,” Abby informs me. “In the case of these animals, they have both male and female reproductive organs in the same body. Earthworms must still find another earthworm to mate with, though both sets of organs can mate during the same session. Snails, on the other hand, can self-fertilize.”

While we talk I see that on the internet there are stories of pet owners who are shocked to find out that their pets are gay or show gay behavior, and some of them even take their animals to an expert in hope of a cure. Abby however is not familiar with gay pets.

“But I hope that pet owners love their pets enough to love them regardless of their sexual orientation. There is such a thing as a pet psychologist, often employed to help with pets who have psychological problems. For instance, if a pet bird started pulling off all its feathers, a pet psychologist or a good vet could probably diagnose that the bird is nervous and try to find out what is causing its behavior.

Where queer animals are concerned, a kind vet or pet psychologist could help, if help is needed. However, animals are far less likely to have religious hang-ups about queerness, because they don’t have religion that we know of. So they are spared that particular agony.”

Roy and Silo are chinstrap penguins, similar to the one pictured.
Roy and Silo are chinstrap penguins, similar to the one pictured.

It’s obvious that Abby is an expert on the subject, but how did her fascination with this particular aspect of the animal kingdom begin?

“I got started thinking about queer animals when I was studying biology in college back in the 1970s and the gay pride movement in the U.S. was underway. I remember an article one of my professors posted on his door, about queer behavior in wild seagulls.

Then there was a professor who sent me to the Smithsonian to look at a fish tank containing a particular species that has what was to me at the time a remarkable breeding system.

The fish stay together in a school that has one male, and many females. When the male dies, one of the females changes sex and becomes the new male for that group. It has since turned out that for many fish species, changing sex is a routine matter. For example wrasses who are a type of fish in which gender fluidity is common.

So bits and pieces of this knowledge have been with me for nearly forty years.”

Would love to find more about Icelandic animals

However, Abby says that the reason she’s talking about queer animals now requires a little explanation. Two things happened in the United States this year that made me want to raise my voice. One was a succession of “bathroom bills” in state legislatures; an anti-trans bills that made laws that required trans people to use the public bathrooms that matched their birth gender, rather than the gender with which they identify.

Things got very ugly, including in some cases, self-appointed (male) guardians standing at the doors to women’s public restrooms and only allowing in people who they believed were women. According to their own sexist stereotypes, of course. The bathroom bills also tended to include many other anti-queer laws, that the legislators simply included as a part of the bathroom bill.

Abby's book The Not-So-Intelligent Designer—Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the category of Theism. Her public speaking has taken her all over the United States and she has given many radio interviews.
Abby’s book The Not-So-Intelligent Designer—Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the category of Theism. Her public speaking has taken her all over the United States and she has given many radio interviews.

The other thing that happened was the shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse, in Orlando Florida. Forty-nine people died and another fifty-three were wounded. After this, I realized that I already had the knowledge to debunk the gender binary, since I have for many years been debunking Creationism (the religious belief that the Universe and life originated from specific acts of divine creation) and Intelligent Design (ID, the pseudoscientific view that “certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection”).

So I put together a slide show and lecture that talks about the lack of a gender binary in nature, which of course debunks the whole idea that queer sex is somehow “unnatural”. I got to have a lot of fun looking up research in the field, and putting together slides with all the animals. There is a great deal of research in this field, and reading about it was a ton of fun. Keep in mind that I’m a biologist. This is the kind of thing that amuses me.”

Abby’s lecture is called Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong: Part 1—The Gender Binary. She has been putting it together for several months, and during that time, she has gotten offers of speaking engagements from a church, a science fiction convention and the American Humanist Association. However, she decided to do the lecture first in Iceland.

“A friend of mine at the American Humanist Association suggested that I should give a talk in Iceland because I was coming here on vacation, and put me in contact with people at Siðmennt. They were very interested, but requested the new talk, the one debunking the gender binary, rather than any of my talks that debunk Intelligent Design and Creationism, because you don’t have the anti-evolution political problem in Iceland the way we do in the U.S.”

“I put together a slide show and lecture that talks about the lack of a gender binary in nature, which of course debunks the whole idea that queer sex is somehow “unnatural”.”

But why Siðmennt? “Siðmennt is an Icelandic humanist organization, and humanists are very strong supporters of queer rights, and human rights in general. Humanists are not hobbled by the anti-queer writings found in many religious texts, or the anti-queer opinions given by many religious

On debunking intelligent design Inspiration hit me when I realized that men’s testicles were my first, best argument against intelligent design in the human body, because men’s testes have to hang outside the body in order to be cool enough to make sperm. This is bad design! Other animals don’t have this problem! Most importantly, I realized that once I started talking about men’s testicles, people would pay attention!
On debunking intelligent design “Inspiration hit me when I realized that men’s testicles were my first, best argument against intelligent design in the human body, because men’s testes have to hang outside the body in order to be cool enough to make sperm. This is bad design! Other animals don’t have this problem! Most importantly, I realized that once I started talking about men’s testicles, people would pay attention!”

leaders – like when the writers and supporters of the “bathroom bills” in the U.S. quoted the Bible as an excuse for opposing trans rights. Or like when the murderer at Pulse said that he was following the Islamic State.

Humanists do not need to square supporting human rights with what the Bible says, because the Bible does not guide them. This goes for all other religious texts as well. If you don’t believe in the supernatural, then the opinions of a supernatural being don’t matter.”

And now since you’re here, do you intend to do research on any of our animals? For instance, the Icelandic horse or dog or the “settlement hens”?
“I have not made any research arrangements since I am here on vacation, and will be touring around for about ten days. So far I have not met any Icelandic horses, dogs or chickens, and would love to do so. I would love to find out more about these animals!”

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

—————-

Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

Webpage/vefsetur

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

          Contact Us


          PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmdvb2dsZS5jb20vbWFwcy9lbWJlZD9wYj0hMW0xNCExbTEyITFtMyExZDI3ODQyLjM0NzA2NDA3OTU4ITJkLTIxLjkwMDg1MDg1NzkxODQyITNkNjQuMTQxNzA3ODE2NzAyMDEhMm0zITFmMCEyZjAhM2YwITNtMiExaTEwMjQhMmk3NjghNGYxMy4xITVlMCEzbTIhMXNlbiEycyE0djE0MzMzMzc5MTUyMjYiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEwMCUiIGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyPSIwIiBzdHlsZT0iYm9yZGVyOjAiPjwvaWZyYW1lPg==
          Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.