The Western world is abuzz with discussion about whether or not to legalise same-sex marriage and how to protect those with sexual identities different from the ‘norm’, from discrimination and physical danger. On one side of the argument are people who claim that there are only two types of human: female and male, and that any departure from this reality is an aberration which should not be recognised or encouraged; on the other side are the large minority of LGBTI people who demand to be acknowledged and protected.

Human animals may have brains which have evolved to a stage of consciousness which allows for self-recognition of sexual and gender diversity, and permits debate about the rights and wrongs of labelling these differences, but we are still animals. Biology – which includes the study of sex in animals, has long recognised and described the wide spectrum of difference in sexuality and sexual behaviour in many species of animals. There is no logic in pretending that the human animal is any different. It may suit the Law and Religions to divide people simplistically and conveniently into male and female. This is just wishful thinking, but no more rational or useful than classifying tall plants as either trees or bushes.

We acknowledge the wide diversity of life on earth and celebrate the many differences in structure and behaviour of all the other animal species, why not ours?