Bear (Gay)

  Bear community 
A bear in gay subculture is usually a man with body hair (fur), chubby, larger bodyweight or bulky/heavyset appearance, and usually some facial hair, sometimes but not always attracted to same in other men. Although the genesis started in the 70's, bears began being known as a subgroups in the 1980's in Germany (as part of the leather crowd) and in San Francisco, partly as a reaction to AIDS. Inside the bear gay subculture there are several sub-sets:
  • A Bearcub or Cub is usually a younger guy with some of these attributes or a guy that fancies bears. Maybe relates to a passive/active relationship but not always.
  • A Daddybear is an older more husky guy sometimes looking for a daddy/son relationship or a Bearcub.
  • Polar bear is a older guy with white or grey fur/beard.
  • Pocket bear - smaller/shorter bear!
These are broad definition as who or what makes a gay man a 'bear' or 'cub' is highly personal and quite charged; some say that bear is also a behavioural/social trait (cuddles, open, likes food, social, sexually open perhaps) as well as or instead of a purely physical phenomenon (ie. you are a bear if you say you are), some say it is just purely physical attraction to larger men who have body or facial hair and no common behaviour traits are implied.

Film

  • Cachorro (Bear Cub), dir. Miguel Abaladejo, Spain, 2004 website (Spanish) website (English)
  • A Dirty Shame, dir. John Waters, US, 2004 - film that features men from the bear scene, although there has been some debate whether this is a positive portrayal website
There are also many short films about Bears which can be seen in film festivals (gay/queer film festivals as well as local/international film festivals) including:
  • Men on Fur on Men, dirs. Martin Borden and Clark Niklolai, Canada, 2003, miniDV, 8 mins.
  • A Bears Story, dir. Vincent Mtzlpick, US, 2003, video, 21 mins.
  • Porn Proof, dir. Chris Street, Canada, 2003, miniDV, 3 mins.
  • More Than Hair Care Products, dir. Pendra Wilson, Canada, 2003, miniDV, 5 mins.
  • Hard Fat, dir. Frederic Moffet, Canada, 2001, video, 23 mins.
  • Lazy Bear 2002, dir. Greg Garcia, US, 2002, DVD, 18 mins.
  • Making of A Bears Story, dir. Village TV, US, 2003, video, 7 mins.
  • My Heart the Cook, dirs. Jerry McCadden and Clark Nikolai, Canada, 2001, miniDV, 2 mins.

See also

External links

 

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