A new generation of researchers are apparently uncovering bisexual, lesbian and gender-bending animals – that’s according to the authors interviewed in a British Library event named “The Birds and the Bees…and Queer Cuttlefish!” as part of their celebrations for the month of Pride. Field biologist Dan O’Neill chaired the event, speaking to My Life in Sea Creatures author Sabrina Imbler and the New York Times best-selling author of Bitch Lucy Cooke, while Hollywood actress Isabella Rossellini presented a number of films on the subject.

Sabrina Imbler on how animals reflect queer communities

Sabrina Imbler, who is also a science journalist, explained that their fascination with sea creatures began when they wrote clickbait articles about the ocean. Imbler, who identifies as queer, says one particular story about a deep-sea octopus brooding its eggs for four-and-a-half years resonated with them. This story reminded them of their own mother and their shared experience of disordered eating. Inspired by this connection, they began exploring various sea creatures to find parallels between their personal life and animal behaviour.

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They said: “I was so touched by the story of this mother octopus and sort of the sacrifice she made to keep her babies healthy and to give them a good shot at a future.

“And so I sort of took a stab at trying to marry those two stories by talking about this deep sea octopus and talking about me and my mother and sort of switching back between the two,” they added.

Imbler actually discovered animals through memes and online sources. For example, a meme featuring a snow-white crab adapting to harsh conditions resonated with their own struggles during a difficult time in their life. They then talked about one of their essays on cuttlefish, which they say is “a creature who’s capable of immense transformation on a day to day basis, that can change the colour and texture of its skin, can appear as other sexes that it isn’t.” These sea creatures was something they could relate to.

Wildlife filmmaker O’Neill said he found the ocean an interesting and rich source to explore concepts like gender and sexuality, as it offers a broader spectrum in nature. They discussed how nature can serve as a great leveller for queer individuals, providing a sense of connection and understanding. The TV presenter asked if Imbler’s book has resonated with the LGBT community in this way.

Sabrina Imbler on queer communities and survival

In response, Imbler said it had as they wanted to bring attention and care to sea creatures, as they feel that land animals, such as birds, receive more love and conservation efforts. They were particularly drawn to creatures that aren’t traditionally considered cute or cuddly, as they often receive less attention and conservation funding. This led them to focus on the deep sea, a region far from human experience, often dismissed or viewed in a disgusted manner.

However, Imbler highlighted the thriving communities that can be found in unwanted or marginalised places, drawing a parallel to queer communities. They said: “I think a lot about the ways that queer communities have taken root in the unwanted parts of society and in places that people didn’t want to live in. And then so that we took root there and we formed these thriving communities.” The author aims to tell the rich stories of these creatures’ biology, ecology, and experiences, emphasising the interconnectedness of their survival with ours.

Watch interview: What is the importance of Gender Euphoria? – with author Laura Kate Dale

Imbler shared an anecdote about observing gelatinous orbs on the Gay Beach in New York. Queer and trans individuals engaged in citizen science to identify the mysterious blobs. Reflecting on these orbs, later identified as a creature called Salps, they discovered that they have two life stages. This includes one asexual, existing in shimmering chains, and the other sexual, growing into a barrel containing a chain of clones.

This concept of the self being both an individual and part of a community resonated with them in the context of the Gay Beach and the sense of belonging to a superorganism during Pride. They added: “it made me think about the kind of life that I want to lead in community with other queer people, and to think about my survival tied to other people’s survival.”

Bitch author Lucy Cooke on queer animals

O’Neill then spoke to British zoologist Lucy Cooke about her book “Bitch,” which explores gender and sexuality in the animal kingdom. She explained that her book focuses on how female animals were often marginalised and misunderstood by the scientific patriarchy. It challenges Victorian stereotypes propagated by figures like Darwin. The award-winning documentary filmmaker also sought to explore the broader understanding of female characteristics in animals that defied traditional gender norms. She said: “the most amazing thing about the female mole are her balls, her gonads. She’s got what’s described as ovotestes. Her gonads are internal, but they’re part ovarian tissue and part testicular tissue. And during the breeding season, she produces eggs.

“She’s a female. But outside of the breeding season, her ovarian tissue shrinks and testicular tissue swells, and she pumps out tons of testosterone, which makes her dig like a maniac, and defend her pup”, she adds. Cooke emphasises that the mole’s flexible gonads have been scientifically known for some time, and recent genetic studies have shed light on the complexity of sexual differentiation and determination.

She then recounted her conversation with geneticist Jenny Graves, who studies sexual determination across various species. They were astonished to learn that the genes responsible for ovary or testis development are not neatly ordered on sex chromosomes but scattered throughout the genome. Surprisingly, the same 60 genes play different roles depending on the triggering mechanisms, such as the presence or absence of the SRY gene in humans.

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Graves explained that the two pathways for sexual determination are not linear or distinct but interconnected, working antagonistically. Suppressing an ovary is necessary to develop a testis, and this intricate system leads to variations, which drive evolution forward. The author concluded by emphasising the importance of variation for adapting to different environments, exemplified by the mole’s ability to thrive underground.

Isabella Rossellini on her nature-themed shorts series

Sandwiched between the two talks was Italian-American actress, author, philanthropist and model Rossellini’s award-winning short films. She appeared in numerous films including Il Prato (The Meadow), Blue Velvet, White Nights, Death Becomes Her, Fearless and Joy, working with directors Robert Zemeckis, David O. Russell, David Lynch, Marjane Satrapi and Guy Maddin. However, outside of this she completed a master’s degree in Animal Behaviour and Conservation at Hunter College which underpins her new one-woman theatre show Darwin’s Smile. This was the backdrop for her series of shorts: Green Porno, Seduce Me and Mammas offer. While she did not speak at the event, here she is describing the background of the films.

The videos contained esoteric, whimsical and colourful motifs, with Rossellini playing the starring role, changing from a duck to a chef and even a worm. Not the usual side we’ve seen of Rossellini who won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress for David Lynch’s seminal work Blue Velvet. Despite the obvious strangeness of the films, the conservationist uses her talent to showcase the amazing capabilities of creatures.

Check out the conversation with Gender Euphoria author Laura Kate Dale for Pride Month: