Reveling in the Queerness of Nature

THIS MONTH we gather for Pride parades and parties that showcase our communities in all their vibrancy. And although I love all these things, I like to celebrate by going for a walk because nature is exuberantly queer.

- By Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

As attacks on queer rights have intensified, you might have noticed that a common critique is that queerness is “unnatural.” But it’s really quite ordinary.

June is a delightful time to recognize queer life, thanks to all the beautiful biological activity unfurling around us in these weeks. Here in New York State, for example, we are transitioning into summer. You might still catch some of the ephemeral plants of spring, a number of which have queer reproductive strategies. One of my favorites is the jack-in-the-pulpit.