What is a bear - Education

Huh! What’s going on here? It’s “bear code,” a highly developed lexicon of the personal and physical characteristics of a gay man who identifies as a “bear.” The “bear movement” began in the mid-1980s as a rebellion against the dominant gay culture, which overwhelmingly idolized chiseled gym bodies as the standard of gay male beauty. Trim, neat, and well-styled haircuts characterized the most visible gay men then—and now—while the predominant gay body, as featured in gay magazines and in porn videos, displayed full heads of hair, a neat little bush of pubic hair above the cock (with balls shaved), but no hair at all on the chest, back, or legs. An unshaven chest or back, an evident tan line, or love handles were viewed by many gay men as signs that one simply didn’t care about one’s appearance. But bears beg to differ. Bears are hairy (everywhere) and big, although not necessarily overweight. Bears think of themselves as highly masculine, real men, and they don’t wear drag or anything in the least bit feminine. They don’t mind smelling like men, which doesn’t necessarily mean they have strong body odor—but no colognes or moisturizer aromas, please. And while many gay men with gym bodies often consider themselves social climbers, or at least they try to Keep Up with the Bruces. Most bears reject financial standing and social status as goals. As a result, many gay men find them to be a particularly open, friendly, social group. That is not to say that one can’t find an occasional muscle bear or cover bear who is as narcissistically fastidious as the most dedicated circuit boy (known as twinks, by bears). New York City and San Francisco, we’re told, now even have their own steroid-enhanced muscle-bear culture. The typical bear can be identified by three major physical characteristics: facial hair, body hair or “fur,” and a heavy or “husky” build. Nit-picking bears sometimes argue about how much hair is required to be a member of beardom (could there be a hairless bear?). But many bears also claim that physical characteristics take a backseat to a certain set of attitudes about gay masculine behavior, adding up to an entire “bear culture.” There’s also a distinct stratification of bear types. Subcategories include grizzly bears (older or grizzled-looking), Santa bears (white hair), panda bears (Asian descent, with or without chest hair), and black bears (African-Americans). No polar bears? Younger, or less husky, less hairy gay men, who are often sexually submissive to other bears, are usually called cubs. Cub is the term often used by a bear to describe himself when looking for a daddy or a top (see Daddy/Son Fantasies). A slimmer-built bear is sometimes called an otter—essentially, a thin bear. The appellation wolf is a latecomer to the bear totemic system, meaning someone who is a loner, perhaps an independent-minded otter not as integrated into the gay scene as those in mainline bear culture. While bears reject the queen culture with its nod toward effeminacy, a few have slipped in anyway. We’re informed that they’re called cha-cha bears behind their backs. While many bears wear lots of leather, they’re not necessarily into S/M. For some, it’s part of their masculine image. There are over 140 bear clubs, often called dens, throughout the United States and internationally. They have newsletters, meetings, social gatherings, and national conventions such as Octobearfest in Denver, Orlando Bear Bust, Bear Pride Weekend in Chicago, and the national annual Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco. They even have their own flags. Most of these clubs have Web sites, where membership is welcomed. There you’ll find profiles of individual members, each identified through the bear code. Remember the profile mentioned at the top of this entry? Here it is again, this time with its “bear code” deciphered. A mostly full beard; a definite cub; a definite daddy-type (although it conflicts with being a cub); a big dick; above average fur; loves to grope (“paw”) another bear; totally vanilla sex (no kinky stuff); has some muscle definition; is out in public; the outdoor type; only interested in open relationships; is taller than the average man; and has a tummy. Other aspects of the bear code inform the reader of more subtle physical and personality characteristics of the bear. Some bears have tuned the code with shades of meaning so fine that it equals the sophistication of The Oxford English Dictionary. Because of its tolerance and its reputation for sociality and friendliness, we believe the bear phenomenon is a healthy addition to the gay community. Bear culture simply allows some otherwise isolated and underappreciated gay men to relate to other gays with whom they feel most comfortable, providing for greater diversity in our population, and with the added benefit of fighting straight stereotypes, both from within and outside the gay community.

Extract from the amazing book "The Joy of Gay Sex" Silverstein & Picano. Fully revised and expanded 3rd edition.