We meet Dr. Roughgarden at home on Kauai and learn about her experiences teaching Biology at Stanford for thirty years before coming out as trans. She went to her first Pride in San Francisco in 1998 and realized, "If being queer is maladaptive, there couldn’t be so many of us surviving. It must not be the people who are defective - it must be the science." She decided to research species who defy biological norms, originally thinking she’d just make a pamphlet to pass out at Stanford, but she found over 1500 cases! Eventually she wrote the groundbreaking Evolution’s Rainbow, taking on the medical establishment, the Bible, social science—even Darwin himself. After Joan shares her personal journey, she takes us on a biological journey. 

Roughgarden meets with Primatologist Dr. Amy Parish who first proved bonobos (our closest relatives) are matriarchal and have same-sex sex everyday. We see them observing the bonobos, witness bonobo behavior, and see for ourselves that these women disproved two foundational and extremely harmful myths about what’s natural - that females are inferior and that same-sex sex is unnatural. 

We then meet several other esteemed scientists, including Dr. Patricia Brennan of Mount Holyoke and Dr. Joseph Graves, the first African-American scientist to receive a PhD in Evolutionary Biology. This chorus of female, BIPOC, and immigrant scientists teach us how dolphins, albatross, penguins, chimps, elephants, and many more species also engage in same-sex sexual behavior and parenting. Drs. Roughgarden and Graves describe fish like blue wrasse and clownfish - and over 50% of fish living in coral reefs - who change sex. Then we follow Dr Roughgarden to meet with world renowned primatologist Dr Frans de Waal to learn about Donna, a gender nonconforming chimp who proves that gender diversity isn’t only common in species like fish and reptiles - but also in primates, like us. Dr de Waal has witnessed same sex sex and gender non conforming behavior in all primate groups he’s studied over 30 years and says “I never found a group in which same sex behavior or gender nonconforming behavior was not accepted - except when it comes to humans.”

After this odyssey, we follow Dr. Roughgarden back home. She reflects upon the backlash she suffered, sharing some of the most hurtful reviews she received. She and our other scientists open up about their experiences of discrimination and how demoralizing it is to release groundbreaking work only to be personally vilified. Dr. Brennan was vilified on Fox News for being an immigrant receiving government grants. Dr Amy Parish was ridiculed by males in her field who accused her of having a “feminine bias.” Dr. Roughgarden says she had originally hoped someone would have written a book pushing this science even further. Instead, textbooks are now being censored to remove mentions of LGBTQ identity and racism, and Roughgarden's book might be banned next. 

Just when we feel hope is lost, we travel to San Francisco, CA to follow a trans high school biology teacher named River Suh who is teaching their students from Dr Roughgarden’s book, Evolution’s Rainbow. We see how engaged River’s students are, how much they enjoy learning about diversity in the natural world, and then River tells us how studies prove that inclusive education reduces not only absenteeism but also self-harm and suicide attempts. At a moment of unprecedented attacks against LGBTQ youth, River demonstrates how teaching children that they belong on Earth just like anybody else can save their lives. We end with all our scientists illuminating the importance of  acknowledging the true diversity in nature so that our world can grow more inclusive and more just.

The structure of our film is supported by an immersive, visually captivating style. We follow scientists in the lab and in the field, see animals up close in trees and underwater. We include scientists' personal and news archival from the 1970’s-2000’s, media commentary, and illuminating animation. The overall tone is energetic, motivating and hopeful- allowing our characters to connect with viewers through humor and entertaining insight. It's not preachy or tragic. This is a happy documentary – this time the truth is better than the lie. Not only is there nothing unnatural about being queer, but nature is beautifully diverse, and we all belong!