Phxt “Elliot Page Challenges What We Think We Know About Nature — and Love — in Groundbreaking New Documentary”

Elliot Page is turning his spotlight to the wild with Second Nature: Gender and Sexuality in the Animal World, a groundbreaking documentary that explores queer behavior across species. On October 14, 2025, the first teaser was released — with Page narrating the deeply immersive journey into what biology textbooks rarely teach.

In the teaser, Page opens with a striking statistic: there are ~8.7 million animal species on Earth, many of which defy rigid norms of gender and sexuality. “For centuries, we’ve been told that when it comes to gender and sexuality, all these millions of species follow a certain set of rules,” Page says. “But what if this narrative fails to capture the full spectrum of life’s diversity?”

Second Nature dives into the lives of more than 1,500 species known for same-sex behavior, sex changes, diverse parenting structures, and fluid gender roles. Scientists featured include trans ecologist Dr. Joan Roughgarden, noted evolutionary biologists, and a range of female, BIPOC, and immigrant experts who challenge mainstream assumptions.

One moment of the teaser shows same-sex pair bonding among penguins and albatross, as well as examples of species that change sex over time — all framed to debunk myths that queer traits are “unnatural. Collectively, the film argues that variations in gender and sexuality are integral to life’s diversity — not anomalies to be ignored.

Page has said that producing and narrating this documentary has been both a personal and professional milestone. It aligns with his long history of advocacy and storytelling that uplifts marginalized voices. Director Drew Denny praised Page’s involvement, noting that his platform and authenticity bring the subject to a broader audience at a critical cultural moment.

Second Nature is slated to premiere at NewFest on October 18, 2025 at SVA Theatre in New York, where Page and the filmmaking team plan to host a post-screening Q&A. From there, the full feature is expected to reach wider audiences, in theaters or streaming platforms.

In a cultural moment marked by debates over sex, gender, and identity, Second Nature aims to shift the lens — showing that queerness is not just human but woven throughout the web of life. As Page’s teaser boldly puts it: “Homosexual behavior in nature is one of the best-kept secrets. It’s absolutely everywhere.”

This documentary promises to both educate and challenge: by amplifying natural diversity, Second Nature may change how we see not just animals — but ourselves.