“It’s not natural!” is the rallying cry of the Proposition 8 hate-campaigners, homophobes and bigots alike. Well, Dr Nathan Bailey of (ironically enough) the University of California has news for you – not only is it natural, it’s also widespread throughout the animal kingdom, and may well confer evolutionary advantages. Homosexual behaviour has long been reported in some animal species – bonobos, dolphins and seagulls, principally – but Dr Bailey’s recent research shows that, far from being an aberrant activity restricted to just a few species, homosexuality is in fact common in nature, from fruit flies on upwards. Writing in the journal Trends In Ecology And Evolution, he suggests that same-sex behaviour may be influenced by natural selection across species, and might in fact be an advanced adaptive strategy. It looks as though the gay-bashing fundegelicals may be obliged to find themselves a new, more appropriate slogan – might I venture to suggest, “We’re a bunch of throwbacks who’ll hate anything different from ourselves!” Admittedly, it’s more difficult to fit on a placard, but you can’t fault it for accuracy.