The Term "Bear" has come to mean so many different things to different people, it is hard to clearly define it. "Bear" is a gay male identity label, that generally refers to a decidedly masculine man with a commanding presence and size, and quite often has natural facial and body hair. Calling a man a "bear" is usually a term of endearment and dictomy. Since the introduction of teddy bears, bears have become the symbol of cute and cuddly, yet bears represent the toughness and ruggedness normally associated with hypermasculinity. "Bear" more often than not, represents an attitude. A sense of comfort with ones own masculinity and body that doesn't cater as much the styles and models so prevalent in most gay circles.

The most common definition of a "bear" is a man who is hairy, has facial hair, and a cuddly body. However, the word "Bear" means many things to different people, even within the bear movement. Many men who do not have one or all of these characteristics define themselves as bears, making the term a very loose one. Suffice it to say, "bear" is often defined as more of an attitude than anything else - a sense of comfort with our natural masculinity and bodies that is not slavish to the vogues of male attractiveness that is so common in gay circles and the culture at large. Bear as a gay male self-identity developed in the late 1980s and 1990s. In part as a response to the AIDS epidemic Where the afflicted were often visibly thin and anorexic, and in part as a manifestation of the aging baby-boomer generation. Gay men who first chose the term bear sought a masculine self-image, suggesting a large or husky body, a prevalence of body hair, and a generally friendly and sanguine. attitude. A striking parallel may be found between bears-as-attitude and the utopian ideals of the original gay liberation movement. Bears proudly proclaim being "average," masculine gay men, neither effeminate queens nor hypermasculine leathermen. In fact, many of us are a blend of both camps, now heavier and graying at the temples.

I beleive we have a very strong need to be a part of a class within our culture. We tend to try and label everything and everyone. Being a part of the "Bear" community is both a statement of independance and conformity. Just as any other subculture, bears typically like to hang with other "Bears". The complexity of the subculture has given rise to a complex classification system, and several 'subclasses' of bears. A "cub" usually refers to a younger, perhaps smaller, less experienced bear, sometimes interpreted as a bottom sexually. Conversely, a "daddy" is an older, more mature bear, usually a top sexually. "Otters" and "wolves" are thin bears, a"wolf" sometimes being the more aggressive personality. "Muscle Bears" are obviously the more powerful, muscled men, who are usually covered with a hairy pelt.

I consider myself a bear, by my own identification with the "bear community" as a fun loving, freindly, accepting and "hug happy" group of people. Others have labeled me a bear due to the dense hair covering my chest, arms and legs, and my facial hair. Attributes that have been widely photographed and featured in the Gay Bear Media. Please explore the bear links here for more information on the culture.