How can different experts come to such different conclusions about the same animal behavior? According to some biologists, our understanding and interpretation of animal behavior is tainted by a heterosexual bias. It’s hard for researchers to ditch their socialized norms and expectations about behavior when they observe animals. Many people, researchers included, interpret behavior as sexual and normal if it is between a female and a male. That which doesn’t fit this narrative is seen as unnatural, deviant, inherently wrong or coercive, or invisible. We write it off as not sexual at all even
...more
