Bonobo sex in the Brockway Room

Rounding up a week of academic gay historical lectures - first "Monsieur", then Antinous - rather well, I thought, Jim and I returned to the austere Conway Hall (we were there en masse for the previous GALHA event The Vinyl Closet last week) for Against Nature? - Homosexuality and evolution, presented by Professor Volker Sommer.

Evidently Professor Sommer is exceptionally popular as the event was well over-subscribed, and the hall's Brockway Room was absolutely packed to the gunnels with an eclectic mix of radical fairies, student types, posh and not-so-posh, old and young, gay and straight alike. I got there early, and bagged seats near a radiator on this exceptionally freezing night, for which we were very grateful.

And what a lecture it was, too - who would have thought the male-to-male and female-to-female encounters of bonobo, dolphins or sheep would be so fascinating?

"Same-sex sexual behaviour is often condemned on the grounds that it is "against nature". Indeed, biology tells us that selection favours those who leave more offspring. But then, homosexual behaviour is widespread - not only amongst humans, but other animals alike, be they flamingos, gorillas, dolphins or bisons. Doesn't this constitute a paradox for Darwinian theory? And is there a connection between what goes on in nature and what is morally desirable?"

We were captivated. Inevitably there were dozens of questions, which always makes for a vibrant occasion. There is no need for me to go into any further detail, for you can watch this video presentation of the whole thing and see what I mean:

Against Nature? - Homosexuality and evolution

LGBT History Month continues throughout February 2012.

Darwin Day is 12th February