Oslo gay animal show draws crowds — no fire & brimstone!
Curators say a Norwegian exhibition on
homosexuality among animals has been well received, despite initial indications
of strong opposition. The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week
and says it has been well attended, not least by families.
Curators say a Norwegian exhibition on homosexuality among animals has been well received, despite initial indications of strong opposition.
The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week and says it has been well attended, not least by families.
Organisers reported early criticism of the project, and being told by one opponent they would “burn in hell”.
But there has been strong interest in an aspect of animal behaviour the museum says is quite common.
It says homosexuality has been observed among 1,500 species, and that in 500 of those it is well documented.
The exhibition - entitled Against Nature? - includes photographs of one male giraffe mounting another, of apes stimulating others of the same sex, and two aroused male right whales rubbing against each other.
The museum says it is the first exhibition in the world to touch on a subject that has been taboo in the past.
It says sex between animals - as between humans - is often a matter of enjoyment, rather than procreation, and that this applies to animals of the same sex as well as opposite sexes.
American commentators say the organizers are still worried about missing out on The Rapture.
[All right — I made that part up.]
Posted: Thu - October 19, 2006 at 11:49 AM