'They are conflating having sex with animals with loving them. Shame on anyone involved in this session,' one said. 'This is not about 'loving animals.' If you're going to be heinous at least be honest.

Others took to Twitter to share their thoughts with the author and event organisers. It IS abhorrent and anyone who attends this event is an immoral c***,' another said. 'Intellectualising about the abuse of animals isn't edgy or cool. Outraged Australians took to social media to lash festival organisers for allowing a presentation they argued was intellectualising animal abuse. 'Are their arguments dangerous, perverted or simply wrongheaded?' 'It is only in very recent years that some people have begun to undermine the absolute prohibition on zoosexuality,' the speaker is quoted on the website. The historian plans to present a modern history of sex between humans and animals and will invite audience members to look at the 'changing meanings' of bestiality and zoophilia and the ethics of 'animal loving'.