At the Sea Life London aquarium the world’s first penguin to be raised as ‘gender neutral’ has been adopted by a gay penguin couple.
The news of the adoption was reported across several publications, celebrating the revelation.
Gender theory and speciesism are two politically-loaded topics which have enjoyed growing mainstream success.
The National File has reported on two very recent stories regarding a push towards speciesism.
One of the stories involved transfeminist anti-speciesist activists separating hens from cockerels out of fears that the hens weren’t able to consent and might be raped.
The other story detailed a drag dog show, where dogs were to be paraded on an platform while in drag.
Animals may not be able to self-identify with an assigned gender as it is a human construct.
Metro reports:
Expert Aquarists say it would be normal for it to grow up as genderless in the wild as male and female penguins look almost the same until they mature and reach adulthood.
The four-month-old chick is yet to be named and will be identified with its own purple band.
The chick has been adopted by a same-sex penguin couple Rocky and Marama at the aquarium after they showed they were ready to look after an egg of their own.
The egg was one of two born to the birth mother and staff thought it as better to move the egg to relieve her of the pressure of raising two chicks.
The chick is doing well and has already fledged its nest and moulted its baby feathers to become another penguin in the colony.
The Independent states:
While gender neutrality is normal amongst penguins, newborn penguins at the famous UK aquarium have traditionally been given gender-based names.
According to The Scotsman:
Graham McGrath, general manager at the aquarium, said: “While the decision may ruffle a few feathers, gender neutrality in humans has only recently become a widespread topic of conversation, however, it is completely natural for penguins to develop genderless identities as they grow into mature adults.
“What makes us really proud at the aquarium is the success of Sea Life London’s Gentoo breeding programme and the amazing job of same-sex penguins Rocky and Marama who took the chick under their wing and raised it as their own.”
