Loving Animals

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Loving Animals: On Bestiality, Zoophilia and Post-Human Love
Front cover of the book
AuthorJoanna Bourke, FBA
CountryGreat Britain
LanguageEnglish
SubjectZoophilia, Queer Theory
GenreResearch
PublisherReaktion Books LTD
Publication date
2020
Pages191
ISBN978-1-78914-310-2
Websitehttp://www.bbk.ac.uk/history/our-staff/academic-staff/joanna/professor-joanna-bourke

Loving Animals is a book by Gresham College historian Joanna Bourke, released in 2020. It contains an overview of Western treatment of zoophilia and bestiality, explores how we approach the concept of sexual abuse as a society, and introduces some zoophile points of view. She presents each side in their own words, using juxtaposition more than interpretation.

In the final chapter, she delves into methods of communicating with animals and nonverbal humans, and reminds everyone that we've historically denied sexuality to humans living with disability. She posits that, just as there's room to understand the ethics of allowing all adult humans to express their sexuality and love, we shouldn't lose sight of the possibility of the same for adult non-humans. With a focus on communication and love, there's a path forward to explore a kind of true companionship with animals while still denying abuse.