Full Spectrum: Honoring Queerness in Nature

“I think a quality that nature and queerness in humans have in common is that they both come in all forms. We don’t judge nature for its shapes, sizes, and differences: we still view it as a whole. Queerness and humans come in all forms, but we label and separate ourselves when we should be able to view ourselves as a whole—like we view nature and the planet.” —Joakim Gjemmestad

“Queerness is not just a community to me—it’s the life I live. It’s originality and the feeling of finally being who you want to be. In a world of rules and standards, being able to stand out is something I and a lot of others thrive off.” —Neveah Blatch

“I think that conservation is what links nature and queerness together. Nature and its resources are abused—hence, our need for behavioral changes and practices that favor the planet’s health. For queer people, our history of persecution, acceptance, and now visibility leads to more support, but also a lack of queer spaces solely for queer people. So, intentional conservation is crucial for the longevity of who we are as queer people and our stay on this planet.” —Dendzi

“To me, queerness is embracing what may makes you different and learning to accept, nurture, and love those qualities about yourself, as well as carrying that kindness you give to yourself into how you treat and view others.” —Joakim Gjemmestad

“Nature gives me hope, it makes me want to belong to this world. I enjoy observing the stillness of it, of its cycles and its growth. I understand my transition and phases through it. Nature always finds its way, as do queer people. We’ve always been here: we are part of nature and we connect with her in a very deep and magical way.” —Mina Serrano

“Queerness to me is part of my everyday life. It’s normal but at the same time beautiful and rebellious.” —Lucy Coward

“To me, being queer means being free to express and present yourself in any way that makes you happy.” —Conni Bilham

“Nature is unique and constantly growing, just like the queer community. Humans, like other animals, love to find groups that we can relate to. Nature is about being organic and real and so is being queer, which is why I love the community so much.” —Neveah Blatch

“Nature plays a very big role in my life as I am currently studying physics with astronomy. Learning about stars, galaxies, and the universe provides perspective on how small we are in the universe, but also how fortunate we are to be alive in it.” —Lucy Coward

“Nature and Queerness are both part of us. If you try to deny them, you’ll hurt yourself in the end. You can see the effects around you. Be kind to yourself. Accept these parts of you.” —Jules Volfu

“To me, queerness is the act of self-permission. You are giving yourself the agency to show aspects of who you are to others, and in this action, revealing truths to yourself. The idea of public authenticity to me is a great goal, but a rather elitist way of looking at queerness, as queer people are still persecuted or killed in many places around the world. So, to me, queerness is putting the power in your hands to identify how you wish and reveal it in the ways you want.” —Dendzi

“Queerness is strange, different and colorful. Nature is beautiful, and being able to be free is Mother Nature expressing herself.” —Martin Klass