Gay Animals Who Prove Same-Sex Love Is Natural

Like humans, some animals are heterosexual, some are homosexual, and some are somewhere in between. Yep, humans aren’t the only ones born this way – giraffes, penguins, lions, and members of other species have been observed engaging in same-sex relationships, too.

For Pride Month, we celebrate same-sex love and remind everyone that, like us, every animal is an individual with a wide range of emotions, desiring of connection and loving relationships. They’re here, they’re queer – get used to it.

• Japanese Macaques

  Let’s get one thing straight: Japanese macaques aren’t always. These primates often display bisexual behaviour, exploring sexual activity with both the same and opposite sex.

  Female Japanese macaques sometimes pursue same-sex sexual partners even if a male macaque is showing interest in them – they just prefer to get together with another female. It’s biology, baby.

  

• Penguins

  Penguins are famously monogamous, known to link up with one partner for life. Among these long-lasting, loving relationships are countless same-sex couples sticking together through thick and thin.

  

  In 1911, explorer George Murray Levick observed homosexual activity in a wild penguin colony at Cape Adare in Antarctica. Since then, thousands more same-sex penguin couples have been documented. Well known among them are Ronnie and Reggie, a gay couple at London Zoo. But while their sexualities are as normal as can be, their living situation isn’t – these two lovebirds shouldn’t be denied their freedom, locked up, and gawked at by a constant stream of visitors, with every aspect of their lives controlled by humans.

  Support animals like them by never visiting facilities that keep wild animals in captivity.

• Dolphins

  Reports show that bottlenose dolphins engage in non-reproductive sexual activity without regard for biological sex, and one pod of Amazon river dolphins was even spotted engaging in homosexual group sex.

  They don’t need to apologise for who they are – and neither should any other animal, humans included! You do you, dolphins.

  

• Elephants

  Both African and Asian elephants engage in homosexual intercourse and relationships. Reports show that female and male elephants alike are affectionate with their same-sex partners beyond sexual activity – doing things such as grooming, kissing, and intertwining their trunks – and that these relationships often last years.

  

• Giraffes

  Studies show that gay sex among giraffes makes up over 90% of all observed sexual activity in these animals, meaning giraffes engage in much more same-sex lovin’ than they do opposite-sex lovin’.

  Male giraffes are especially interested in each other. They are known to rub their necks along each other’s bodies and spend many hours courting and caressing their potential partner. Simply put, giraffes are big on homosexuality (and foreplay).

  

• Lions

  For decades, scientists observed male lions nuzzling, caressing, and mounting each other – engaging in same-sex sexual relations.

  Although less likely to do so than their male counterparts, female lions, too, have been known to love up on one another. Can you feel the love tonight? They can.

  

• Albatrosses

  Sir David Attenborough’s series Frozen Planet II documented same-sex relationships between albatrosses. It captured a male albatross who had failed in his attempts to court a female being approached by a male suitor and instantly hitting it off.

  Around the world, both male and female birds choose same-sex partners as their soul mates. On the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu, 31% of albatross pairings are same-sex couples.

  When they find the one, they stay together for life, which can be up to 50 years of happily ever after!

  

Show Animals Love

Just as we stand for animal rights, we stand for LGBTQI+ rights – this month and every month. At PETA, we believe in compassion and empathy for all, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or species.

Humans are one species of animal among many. And we all should have the opportunity to live our lives the way we choose.

Please join us in the fight for a more just society and pledge to reject prejudice and anything else that causes harm to those with whom we share this planet. Pledge to help end speciesism:

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