There is much beauty in diversity, and nothing captures this beauty more profoundly than the planet itself. But this wonder is under threat, not only from environmental degradation but also from social systems, which weaponize the “natural order” to justify bigotry. Through this smog of hate, a revolutionary idea bloomed to uplift both the environment and a community of diverse identities: queer ecology.
Out and proud
Queer, by definition, refers to something that is nontraditional. Building on this idea, queer ecology is a framework that applies queer theory to environmental thought and activism. At its core, queer theory challenges binary thinking—what is deemed male or female, straight or gay, and normal or abnormal—and invites one to see the world through a more fluid and inclusive lens.
Nature itself pushes back against heteronormative standards. Various examples of queer animals exist in all shapes and forms across species, from bisexual penguins and gender-altering clownfishes to hermaphroditic banana slugs.
Moreover, queer behavior is especially prominent. Take the male chimpanzees, where same-sex sexual behaviour is common and serves as a form of reconciliation after fights. Sociosexual behaviour involving the touching of the anus, genitals, and buttocks is also frequent.
On the other end of the spectrum, fluid sexuality among animals was also reported to be beneficial, especially for social animals like bonobo apes, penguins, and dolphins. Instead of being seen as deviant, species who exhibit bisexuality have improved their survival by maintaining their ability to produce offspring, protecting their young, and forming strong relationships.
In humans, genetic diversity, intersex traits, and chromosomal variations further challenge the misconception that nature is binary. For instance, androgen insensitivity syndrome is a condition in which someone is genetically male but is insensitive to male sex hormones and may have female genitals. There is also Klinefelter syndrome, which results in an additional X chromosome in about one in 600 males. These conditions present challenges that deserve care and attention, including infertility and delayed puberty. However, they do not diminish a person’s capacity to live a meaningful life.
Natural crisis, nontraditional solutions
Nature’s rejection of rigid categories invites people to rethink their relationship with the world, and queer ecology takes this a step further. According to climate and gender activist Cheng Pagulayan, the framework challenges our approach to environmental problems, which is largely driven by patriarchal, male-centric, and capitalist systems. It creates solutions that are not necessarily in line with dominant narratives, offering a redefinition of our knowledge of the environment.
Pagulayan believes that queer ecology can even provide a vital lens through which we can address the climate crisis. “Issues like climate change, the climate crisis, [and] environmental degradation, among others, are issues that can be solved in non-traditional or non-conventional ways,” he explains. This perspective urges society to view nature with fresh eyes and embrace its “unnaturality” where deviations and and rich complexities are essential for survival. It reminds people that nature is queer, and therefore, the solutions to its crises must be just as unconventional and profoundly transformative.
Pagulayan also critiques society’s heavy reliance on techno-centric approaches when dealing with environmental issues, calling them ineffective and often deeply flawed. Queer ecology, in contrast, turns to often-overlooked sources of wisdom: indigenous ecological practices, the lived experiences of marginalized communities, and the queer identities that help in this fight.
He further highlights how environmental degradation disproportionately affects those at the margins and argues that true sustainability cannot be achieved without justice, inclusion, and decolonization.
At its heart, queer ecology aims to heal the world shaped by challenging systems of domination. In the Philippines, this framework can be seen in pre-colonial traditions. Revered spiritual leaders known as babaylans were believed to embody both masculine and feminine spiritual energies. Babaylans, while predominantly female, were born males, with some having intersex characteristics, too. Even with these complexes, they were central to ecological and communal life. These cultural memories serve as reminders that queerness and environmental stewardship are not foreign to history—they have simply been erased by colonization.
Nature isn’t black and white
More than a framework, queer ecology deconstructs the ingrained systemic oppressions that cloud our understanding of the world. It opens up our minds to more nuanced, inclusive engagement with ecology and identity, reclaiming narratives that are often shrouded with stigma against queer communities and concepts. “[Queer ecology] looks beyond…[and] challenges the binaries,” Pagulayan emphasizes. Because, at its very core, queer ecology is an invitation to welcome the inherent queerness in nature.
With the climate crisis beyond our doorstep, queer ecology offers a way forward. The world must embrace difference, cultivate empathy, and imagine futures not dictated by tradition but by possibility. By approaching ideas and issues with a queer outlook, we immerse ourselves in more diverse, inclusive analyses that empowers everyone.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s June 2025 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSJune2025.
