The phrase “the birds and the bees” is a well-known euphemism used to introduce the topic of reproduction to children. It’s a gentle way to navigate the often-awkward conversation about where babies come from, substituting the biological specifics with the imagery of bees pollinating flowers and birds hatching eggs. This approach serves as a softer alternative to more direct explanations of sexual intercourse, and definitely a more grounded one than the myth of storks delivering babies.
Tracing the Roots of “The Birds and the Bees” Phrase
Pinpointing the exact origin and rise to popularity of “the birds and the bees” remains somewhat of a mystery. Interestingly, the phrase doesn’t necessarily imply that parents are detailing the actual reproductive processes of birds and bees. In fact, the link between human sexuality and these natural processes is rather abstract, which can sometimes lead to confusion for inquisitive young minds.
Typically, the narrative uses bees collecting pollen to symbolize male fertilization and birds laying eggs to represent female ovulation. Another, less common, version even suggests a baby is created when a bee stings a bird.
According to “The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins,” as cited by The Los Angeles Times, the phrase likely emerged from a tradition of using analogies to explain reproduction. In past centuries, the delicate subject was approached indirectly by “telling how birds do it and trusting that youngsters would get the message by indirection.”
Rufous shrikethrush perched on a tree trunk
(Image credit: Glen Fergus (CC-BY 3.0))
Ed Finegan, a professor emeritus of linguistics and law at the University of Southern California, proposed in 2000 that the phrase’s euphemistic use might have been inspired by literary figures. He pointed to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1825 poem “Work Without Hope,” which uses birds and bees imagery in a way suggestive of sexual activity.
The poem reads:
“All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair —
The bees are stirring — birds are on the wing —
And Winter, slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
And I, the while, the sole unbusy thing,
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.”
Finegan also noted the phrase’s appearance in a 1644 diary entry by John Evelyn, published posthumously a century later. Evelyn used “birds and bees” while describing St. Peter’s Basilica, and in context, it is interpreted as a broader allusion to human sexuality. It’s plausible that the phrase gained traction among other writers after the diary’s publication, further solidifying its metaphorical meaning.
“The Birds and the Bees” in Popular Culture
References to “the birds and the bees” extend beyond literature and into music and television, demonstrating its firm place in popular culture as a metaphor for sex and reproduction.
John Burroughs, an American naturalist, published a collection of essays in 1875 titled “Birds and Bees, Sharp Eyes and other Papers.” While aimed at providing children with simple nature explanations, it didn’t delve into sex education. However, the title itself contributed to linking these natural elements with childhood learning.
Dr. Emma Frances Angell Drake’s “The Story of Life,” a publication widely circulated between 1893 and 1930, included a section where she explained reproduction to her young daughters using imagery of birds and bees. She described robin’s eggs, pollen, and bees gathering honey as analogies for the reproductive process.
Cole Porter’s 1928 song “Let’s Do It” offers a more direct and playful reference:
“It is nature, that’s all
Simply telling us to fall in love
And that’s why birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love”
The phrase even made its way into newsprint, appearing in a 1939 issue of the “Freeport Journal Standard” to suggest a sophisticated understanding of adult themes, noting “A Frenchman was born sophisticated: he knows about the birds and the bees.”
In contemporary media, “The Simpsons” also referenced the phrase in a 1995 episode, “Homer vs. Patty and Selma.” In a humorous take, Bart Simpson tells Milhouse, “The Sun is out, birds are singing, bees are trying to have sex with them — as is my understanding …” This comedic use further cemented the phrase’s recognition as a stand-in for explaining sex.
Why Birds and Bees? The Symbolic Connection
While the exact rationale behind choosing “birds and bees” remains open to interpretation, the symbolism is likely rooted in easily observable natural processes. Birds laying eggs and bees interacting with flowers are visible signs of life and creation in the natural world. These images are less intimidating and more palatable for children than the complexities of human biology. The vagueness of the connection, while potentially confusing, also serves to gently introduce a complex topic without overwhelming young minds with too much detail too soon.
Ultimately, “the birds and the bees” has become a cultural shorthand for initiating conversations about sex and reproduction with children. It’s a phrase steeped in history and literature, evolving into a widely recognized euphemism that continues to be used today as a starting point for a delicate but essential discussion.
