Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality

By: Eliot Schrefer

So. Just how queer are ducks?

We’re taught the natural order means male-female pairs for each animal on Earth. Darwin’s theory of natural selection only seems to confirm it—aren’t heterosexual pairings the best way forward for any species? But there’s more to the story than most of us know.

A quiet revolution has been underway in recent years, with study after study revealing substantial same-sex sexual behavior in animals. Join celebrated author Eliot Schrefer on an exploration of queer behavior in the animal world—from albatrosses to bonobos to clownfish to doodlebugs.

In sharp and witty prose—aided by humorous comics from artist Jules Zuckerberg—Schrefer uses science, history, anthropology, and sociology to illustrate the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world. Interviews with researchers in the field offer additional insights for readers and aspiring scientists.

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) puts to rest any tired claims about the “unnaturalness” of queer behavior. Schrefer argues that the diversity of sexuality that links humans to the animal world can also be a source of great joy, wonder, and self-acceptance. Queer behavior in animals is as diverse and complex—and as natural—as it is in our own species. It doesn’t set us apart from animals—it bonds us even closer to our animal selves.