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[[File:Trans bear.png|thumb|The transgender bear flag]]
'''Bear '''is a sub-cultural [[micro-label]] used by [[gay]] men, referring to a subset of men who embrace and subvert traditional masculinity and defy the stereotypes typically applied to gay men, who are usually seen as feminine due to their attraction to men. Bears may be defined by physical appearance, tastes, expression of traditionally gendered traits, and/or personal affilation. ▼
[[File:Non-binary bear.png|thumb|The non-binary bear flag]]
▲'''Bear '''is a
The generic image of a bear is a larger man with a hairy body, usually having facial hair and dressing in a typically masculine way. Bears
The bear subculture
The bear subculture is not
== Culture ==
Bear physicality originally referred to larger, heavy-set cisgender men men who were middle-aged. At first, the assumption was that most bears were gay men. However, [[Bisexual|bi]] men have historically been at the front of bear culture alongside gay men.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bi_Men/q4P4QsJR9VEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22bisexual+bears%22+%22lgbt&pg=PP1&printsec=frontcover}}</ref> Since the 2000s, new terms have emerged to describe a variety of bears. Some terms that are in use include:
* '''Cubs''', younger bears.
* '''Muscle bears''', bears who are generally extremely fit and hairy.
*[[Otter|'''Otters''']], leaner bears.
* '''Leather bears''', bears who may be more involved in leather and BDSM cultures than the average bear.
* '''[[Ursula|Ursulas]]''', historically '''lesbears''',<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bears_on_Bears/oWQ1Qe3g5hkC?hl=en&gbpv=1}}</ref> who are [[sapphic]] [[Female|women]] or [[Fiaspec|women-aligned]] individuals who are generally hairier and heavy-set.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://xtramagazine.com/love-sex/beary-feminine-45486}}</ref>
* '''[[Femme Bear|Femme bears]]''', queer femme individuals with the typical characteristics of a bear.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://archermagazine.com.au/2018/06/woman-bear-community/}}</ref>
*'''Trans bears''', [[achillean]] [[transmasculine]] individuals who are hairier and heavy.<ref>"Lesbears and Transbears," ''Bears on Bears'', Suresha.</ref>
Some communities use more specific terminology to encompass men who may not be able to fit the general physical stereotype of a 'bear' and to make clear their inclusion in the community, such as "polar bear" for older men. However, the use of racialized terms for non-white bears, such as "panda bear" for East-Asian men, has come under scrutiny amongst bears.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bears_on_Bears/oWQ1Qe3g5hkC?hl=en&gbpv=1}}</ref><ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0891243204269408?casa_token=u6fB4eWMY1sAAAAA:uYHpIgsX49gnpz1umUrwKBL429z211qqkCCYDDOovAXJUavMOXmIcT2fPjNgHOJUWV4MBSDzoIc}}</ref> Some heavy-set hairy men attracted to men may not identify with the term bear or else refer to themselves as “post bears” or “ex-bears.”<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bears_on_Bears/oWQ1Qe3g5hkC?hl=en&gbpv=1}}</ref>
== Flag ==
The bear flag consists of seven stripes in various shades of brown and gold, with a
It was designed in 1995 by Craig Byrnes, who had spent extensive time producing a project about the bear community and wanted a flag to include in his research.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=http://ncourageu.org/bios/craigbyrnes.html)}}</ref> After creating four prototypes, he attended a local Chesapeake Bay Bears event and asked attendees to vote for their favorite design, determining the design of the International Bear Brotherhood Flag still in use.
The transgender bear flag was created by the now deactivated tumblr user beartrans.
The non-binary bear flag was created by the now deactivated tumblr user duwang-flags-inc.
==References==
<references />
[[Category:Identity]]
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