Second Nature: Gender & Sexuality in the Animal World

We are hosting a FREE screening of Second Nature, a documentary exploring the expansiveness of gender and sexuality in the animal world. Zoomies Pet Cafe will be hosting us, and pups are very welcome to join!

About Second Nature: Did you know that clownfish change sex from male to female? (So if Nemo’s mom had died in real life, his dad could have become his mom!) Did you know that albatross, penguins and swans parent in same sex pairs? Or that bonobos, who are just as closely related to us as chimps, are matriarchal and have same-sex sex every day?!

Narrated by Elliot Page, Second Nature follows trailblazing Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Joan Roughgarden as she meets groundbreaking scientists exploring the 1500+ animal species who engage in same-sex sexual behavior and parenting, change sex, form matriarchies, and more, debunking myths that females are “inferior” and that being queer is “unnatural.”

About Zoomies: The cafe will be open for the first hour or so, if you'd like to order snacks or a coffee or tea, or nibbles for your pup. Friendly dogs are welcome - please pre-register your pup on their website before attending.

A Note About Content: Second Nature is appropriate for middle school-aged youth (generally ages 11+) through adults. Drawing on the natural world, the film explores gender, gender roles, and sexual identity in a visually engaging and accessible way, while inviting viewers to question assumptions and consider how bias shapes what we think we know. It offers an approachable entry point for younger audiences and meaningful depth for adults, and is best experienced with space for reflection and conversation.

SECOND NATURE — everything you didn’t learn in high school biology!