"Second Nature": Elliot Page on New Film Exploring Animal World Beyond the Binary
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The documentary "Second Nature" showcases extensive gender fluidity and sexual diversity in the animal kingdom, from same-sex penguin parents to sex-changing fish.
- ❖Elliot Page found the film deeply affirming as a trans and queer person, noting how the information counters societal narratives that label queer identities as 'unnatural.'
- ❖Director Drew Denny was motivated by her experience growing up in Texas, where she was taught that queerness was unnatural and females were inferior.
- ❖Scientists researching animal sexual and gender diversity, like Dr. Joan Roughgarden and Dr. Amy Parish, have faced significant backlash and suppression of their findings.
- ❖The film highlights cases like male seahorse pregnancy, bluehead wrasse changing sex from female to male, and matriarchal bonobo societies that use same-sex sex for conflict resolution.
- ❖The research presented in the film has been demonstrated to reduce self-harm and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, emphasizing its profound social impact.
Insights
1Widespread Gender Fluidity and Sexual Diversity in Nature
The film 'Second Nature' documents a vast array of gender fluidity and sexual diversity across millions of animal species. Examples include same-sex penguin parents, fish that change sex (e.g., bluehead wrasse from female to male, clownfish from male to female), and male seahorses that become pregnant and give birth. This challenges the long-held assumption that gender and sexuality are strictly binary or heterosexual in the natural world.
The trailer mentions 'same-sex penguin parents,' 'sex-changing fish,' 'pregnant seahorse fathers' (). Elliot Page notes feeling 'silly for not assuming this all to be true already' (). Drew Denny highlights 'gay penguin dads and birthing seahorse dads' (). The film clip on bluehead wrasse explicitly details females changing to males ().
2Challenging Human-Imposed Binaries and Patriarchal Structures
The documentary argues that the gender binary and traditional patriarchal structures often projected onto nature are human constructs, not natural laws. It highlights how these assumptions have led to the suppression of scientific findings that contradict them, such as the initial dismissal of bonobo matriarchy as 'strategic male deference' rather than genuine female dominance.
Drew Denny states, 'all of these binaries we've been told are just natural law are completely false and made up by humans' (). Elliot Page quotes Dr. Joan Roughgarden, saying that looking at nature as a 'hetero-patriarchal structure is absurd' and the gender binary is a 'quaint little myth' (). Drew Denny describes the backlash against Dr. Amy Parish for her findings on matriarchal bonobos, where critics suggested 'strategic male deference' instead of matriarchy ().
3Social Evolution Beyond Dominance in Baboons
Research by Robert Sapolsky on baboons revealed a revolutionary social transformation. After a disease wiped out all the aggressive alpha males, the remaining low-ranking males and females forged a new, peaceful society. This new social system, characterized by less fighting, more kindness, and reduced stress, persisted for many years, demonstrating that social structures are not fixed and can evolve towards less hierarchical, more cooperative models.
The film clip details Robert Sapolsky's baboon research where alpha males died from a human disease, leaving 'low-ranking males and the females' (). It describes how 'they forged a new society' that was 'much more peaceful,' 'calm, less stress,' and 'still organized in the same way' many years later ().
4The Affirming Power of Natural Diversity for LGBTQ+ Individuals
The film's core message is to provide affirmation and a sense of belonging for queer and trans individuals by showing that their identities are reflected in the natural world. Elliot Page emphasizes that learning about this diversity helps counter narratives that claim queer people are 'not natural' or 'something's wrong with us,' fostering a sense of being 'a part of this world.'
Elliot Page states he got involved because he found the film 'so affirming as a trans and queer person' (). He hopes the film 'could make you feel one feel less alone in this world and more a part of this world when we're told we're, you know, not natural or something's wrong with us' (). Drew Denny notes that the research 'has been used and demonstrated to reduce self-harm and suicide among LGBTQ youth' ().
Key Concepts
Challenging Biological Determinism
This model questions the assumption that human gender roles and sexual norms are solely dictated by biology or are universally 'natural.' The film provides extensive evidence from the animal kingdom to demonstrate that biological and behavioral diversity in gender and sexuality is the norm, not the exception, thereby refuting rigid deterministic views.
The Suppressed Science Phenomenon
This model describes how scientific findings that challenge dominant societal narratives or power structures can be actively suppressed, dismissed, or lead to backlash against researchers. The documentary illustrates this through the experiences of scientists like Dr. Amy Parish and Dr. Joan Roughgarden, whose work on animal diversity was initially met with resistance due to its implications for human gender and sexuality.
Lessons
- Educate yourself and others on the scientific evidence of gender and sexual diversity in the animal kingdom to challenge rigid biological assumptions.
- Support and amplify the work of scientists, especially women, queer, trans, and BIPOC researchers, who are often at the forefront of challenging conventional biological narratives despite facing backlash.
- Utilize the insights from 'Second Nature' to foster a more inclusive and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, recognizing that natural diversity extends beyond human-imposed binaries.
Notable Moments
Drew Denny's personal motivation for directing 'Second Nature' stems from growing up in Texas, where she was taught that females were inferior and queerness was unnatural. Reading Dr. Joan Roughgarden's book and learning about diverse animal behaviors made her feel she 'belong[ed] here on Earth just like anybody else.'
This highlights the profound personal impact of scientific knowledge on individual identity and belonging, demonstrating how understanding natural diversity can counteract harmful societal narratives and foster self-acceptance.
Elliot Page shares how his mother, who grew up in the 1950s with strict gender roles, watched 'Second Nature' with him on Mother's Day. He noted it was a 'sweet experience' and that the film's themes resonated with her own experience on the planet.
This moment illustrates the potential for the film's message to bridge generational and ideological divides, fostering understanding and acceptance even among those previously exposed to rigid societal norms. It underscores the film's broad appeal and educational power.
Quotes
"Everything you didn't learn in high school biology. That's the tagline of a remarkable new documentary challenging some of our most deeply held assumptions about biology, gender, and sexuality."
"Homosexual behavior in nature is one of the best-kept secrets. It's absolutely everywhere."
"I mean, quite frankly, I felt very silly for not assuming this all to be true already."
"It wasn't until I grew up and read Dr. Joan Roughgarden's book and learned about gay penguin dads and birthing seahorse dads, for example, and gender queer chimps and our other closest relatives, bonobos, who are matriarchal, that I finally felt in my body for the first time that I belong here on Earth just like anybody else."
"This, you know, gender binary um that we've created is nothing but a quaint little myth."
"If you can make different types of cognitive decisions, why wouldn't it be adaptive to have a lot of flexibility in your sexual behavior?"
"It's not trans people who suffer from a sickness, but the society that fosters such hate."
"The research in our film has been used and demonstrated to reduce self-harm and suicide among LGBTQ youth."
Q&A
Recent Questions
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