Bear (gay culture)

The bear community is a sub-sect of the gay community, which is often divided into sub communities for the purpose of establishing common interests with peers. "Bears" are men who are generally either very heavyset or stocky, or very muscular. They have hairy bodies and some sort of facial hair. They are often considered to be more traditionally masculine-acting that other gay men. (The entirety of these facts are based on the bear community's, and the world-at-large's, own stereotypical opinions of gay men in general; like most stereotypes, though, they are fairly true.)

Bear men tend to disassociate themselves from the gay community at large, having their own bars and social events where they can socialize with other members of the bear community. They have pageants (much like beauty pagents but generally hyper-sexual) where titles and sashes (made of leather) are given out to winners. (Example: "Mr Washington, D.C. Bear, 2002.")

The bear community was created out of a need for men who didn't feel that they matched the high standards of the gay community (to be thin, hairless and young) to belong. Unfortunately, as is the case with many of the sub communities of the gay community, they tend to be exclusive of people who do not fit into their own standards of what a "real man" is.

In the end, belonging to the bear community is very much like being part of any other clique or cult. If you want to belong, you can (barring your lack of body or facial hair) change your body, style of dress and mannerisms, and you will be accepted.

Some terminlogy:

"bear" - an older (or older looking) man, with a full bear or van dyke, a hairy chest and body, masculine acting, commonly found wearing flannel or leather, blue jeans, overweight or stocky (or possibly hyper-muscular)

"cub" - a younger (or younger looking) version of a bear, with a smallr frame

"otter" - a person who meets all of the above requirements except for the weight - typically thinner, or with lean muscle

"twink" - a younger (or younger looking,) feminine-acting, thin male (this term is not exclusive to the bear community)

"chaser" - a term that refers to someone who is not a bear, cub, or otter, but is sexually or romantically attracted to them (this term is used in various communities to describe an outsider who has sexual attraction to people within the community)