'Some penguins are gay. Get over it': London Zoo honors gay penguin couple for Pride month

Mahira Dayal

The London Zoo is ringing in Pride 2019 with a celebration of its “most famous gay residents.”

During “Zoo Nights,” which is scheduled to take place on July 5, visitors will have the opportunity to see the zoo’s two Humboldt penguins, Ronnie and Reggie, according to a news release.

Ronnie and Reggie got together in 2014, and came under the spotlight when they adopted an egg that another penguin couple abandoned.

When the penguins’ chick, Kyton, was born in 2015, the two shared parenting duties. Now, the still remain “strong as ever,” and can be seen “snuggled up in their nest box together,” the London Zoo said in the news release.

A banner that reads “Some penguins are gay. Get over it,” was put up by zookeepers and staff in the Zoological Society of London’s LGBTQ+ society as part of the ongoing London Pride celebrations, London Zoo senior press officer Tina Campanella tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

“We’ve had nothing but a positive response to news of the forthcoming Pride celebrations at ZSL London Zoo,” she says.

Reggie, the Humboldt penguin poses with the "Some penguins are gay. Get over it," sign for London Pride celebrations. (Credit: Courtesy of Zoological Society of London)
Reggie, the Humboldt penguin poses with the "Some penguins are gay. Get over it," sign for London Pride celebrations. (Credit: Courtesy of Zoological Society of London)

The banner was inspired by and pays homage to the Stonewall Inn’s “groundbreaking ‘Get Over it’ campaign,” the zoo said.

Ronnie and Reggie aren’t the only same-sex couple at the zoo. The duo shares their home with 91 other penguins, including same-sex couples Nadja and Zimmer, as well as Dev and Martin. The zoo also has a young, one-year-old penguin who hatched during Pride last year, aptly named Rainbow.

The public is applauding the zoo for celebrating the penguins’ love, receiving many positive reactions on its Twitter announcement of the events.

Penguin Books UK even asked for an invite to the zoo’s celebration, inquiring about whether Ronnie and Reggie like to read.

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