Book Review (Amazon.com)
Biological Exuberance : Animal Homosexuality
and Natural Diversity
by Bruce Bagemihl, Ph.D.
Hardcover - 512 pages
1 Ed edition (February 1999)
St Martins Pr (Trade); ISBN: 0312192398
; Dimensions (in inches): 2.02 x 9.55 x 6.50
Reviews
Amazon.com
Bruce Bagemihl writes that Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and
Natural Diversity was a "labor of love." And indeed it must have
been, since most scientists have thus far studiously avoided the topic of widespread
homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom--sometimes in the face of undeniable
evidence. Bagemihl begins with an overview of same-sex activity in animals,
carefully defining courtship patterns, affectionate behaviors, sexual techniques,
mating and pair-bonding, and same-sex parenting. He firmly dispels the prevailing
notion that homosexuality is uniquely human and only occurs in "unnatural"
circumstances. As far as the nature-versus-nurture argument--it's obviously
both, he concludes. An overview of biologists' discomfort with their own observations
of animal homosexuality over 200 years would be truly hilarious if it didn't
reflect a tendency of humans (and only humans) to respond with aggression and
hostility to same-sex behavior in our own species. In fact, Bagemihl reports,
scientists have sometimes been afraid to report their observations for fear
of recrimination from a hidebound (and homophobic) academia. Scientists' use
of anthropomorphizing vocabulary such as insulting, unfortunate,
and inappropriate to describe same-sex matings shows a decided lack of
objectivity on the part of naturalists.
Astounding as it sounds, a number of scientists have actually argued that when a female Bonobo wraps her legs around another female ... while emitting screams of enjoyment, this is actually "greeting" behavior, or "appeasement" behavior ... almost anything, it seems, besides pleasurable sexual behavior.
Throw this book into the middle of a crowd of wildlife biologists and
watch them scatter. But Bagemihl doesn't let the scientific community's discomfort
deny him the opportunity to show "the love that dare not bark its name"
in all its feathery, furry, toothy diversity. The second half of this hefty
tome is filled with an exhaustive array of species that exhibit homosexuality,
complete with photos and detailed scientific illustrations of the behaviors
described. Biological Exuberance is a well-researched, thoroughly scientific,
and erudite look at a purposefully neglected frontier of zoology. --Therese
Littleton
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