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[[File:Trans bear.png|thumb|The transgender bear flag]] |
[[File:Trans bear.png|thumb|The transgender bear flag]] |
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[[File:Non-binary bear.png|thumb|The non-binary bear flag]] |
[[File:Non-binary bear.png|thumb|The non-binary bear flag]] |
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'''Bear '''is a subcultural term used primarily by [[Vincian|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, or personal affiliation. |
'''Bear '''is a subcultural term used primarily by [[Vincian|gay men]], referring to a subset of [[Male|men]] who embrace and subvert traditional [[Masculine|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, or personal affiliation. |
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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 tend to project the aesthetics of working-class manhood in their choices of self-expression, particularly through their personal grooming and appearance.<ref>[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=VH9EAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false "Chapter 6. Academics as Bears: Thoughts on Middle-Class Eroticization of Workingmen’s Bodies" by Eric Rofes, ''The Bear Book: Readings in the History and Evolution of a Gay Male Subculture'', edited by Les. K. Wright, Routledge.]</ref> Often, bear culture is associated with the rural gay community, in which the idea of rugged traditional masculinity is considered both an ideal and a defiance of gay stereotyping that tends to portray gay men as overwhelmingly thin, white, exceptionally well-groomed, lacking in facial and body hair, and averse to physical exertion. |
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 tend to project the aesthetics of working-class manhood in their choices of self-expression, particularly through their personal grooming and appearance.<ref>[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=VH9EAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false "Chapter 6. Academics as Bears: Thoughts on Middle-Class Eroticization of Workingmen’s Bodies" by Eric Rofes, ''The Bear Book: Readings in the History and Evolution of a Gay Male Subculture'', edited by Les. K. Wright, Routledge.]</ref> Often, bear culture is associated with the rural [[gay]] community, in which the idea of rugged traditional masculinity is considered both an ideal and a defiance of gay stereotyping that tends to portray gay men as overwhelmingly thin, white, exceptionally well-groomed, lacking in facial and body hair, and averse to physical exertion. |
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The bear subculture celebrates such masculine traits while [[Queer|queering]] masculinity through the reputation of bears being affectionate, similar to how [[femme]] [[Lesbian|lesbians]] defy the heterocentric stereotype of lesbians being masculine by necessity and instead queer femininity. |
The bear subculture celebrates such masculine traits while [[Queer|queering]] masculinity through the reputation of bears being affectionate, similar to how [[femme]] [[Lesbian|lesbians]] defy the heterocentric stereotype of lesbians being masculine by necessity and instead queer femininity. |
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*[[Otter|'''Otters''']], leaner bears. |
*[[Otter|'''Otters''']], leaner bears. |
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* '''Leather bears''', bears who may be more involved in leather and BDSM cultures than the average bear. |
* '''Leather bears''', bears who may be more involved in leather and BDSM cultures than the average bear. |
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* '''[[Ursula|Ursulas]]''', historically '''lesbears''',<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bears_on_Bears/oWQ1Qe3g5hkC?hl=en&gbpv=1 "Lesbears and Transbears: Dykes and FTMs as Bears" in ''Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions (Revised Edition)'', Ron Jackson Suresha, Lethe Press.]</ref> who are sapphic women or women-aligned people who are generally hairier and heavy-set.<ref>[https://xtramagazine.com/love-sex/beary-feminine-45486 Article “Beary feminine: Lesbians are claiming an identity gay men monopolize” on ursulas by Tanya Gulliver for ''Xtra''.]</ref> |
* '''[[Ursula|Ursulas]]''', historically '''lesbears''',<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bears_on_Bears/oWQ1Qe3g5hkC?hl=en&gbpv=1 "Lesbears and Transbears: Dykes and FTMs as Bears" in ''Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions (Revised Edition)'', Ron Jackson Suresha, Lethe Press.]</ref> who are [[sapphic]] [[Female|women]] or [[Fiaspec|women-aligned]] people who are generally hairier and heavy-set.<ref>[https://xtramagazine.com/love-sex/beary-feminine-45486 Article “Beary feminine: Lesbians are claiming an identity gay men monopolize” on ursulas by Tanya Gulliver for ''Xtra''.]</ref> |
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* '''[[Femme Bear|Femme bears]]''', queer femme people with the typical characteristics of a bear.<ref>[https://archermagazine.com.au/2018/06/woman-bear-community/ Article “A woman in the bear community” on being a queer femme and a bear by Iz Connell for ''Archer''.]</ref> |
* '''[[Femme Bear|Femme bears]]''', queer femme people with the typical characteristics of a bear.<ref>[https://archermagazine.com.au/2018/06/woman-bear-community/ Article “A woman in the bear community” on being a queer femme and a bear by Iz Connell for ''Archer''.]</ref> |
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*'''Trans bears''', [[achillean]] [[transmasculine]] people who are hairier and heavy.<ref>"Lesbears and Transbears," ''Bears on Bears'', Suresha.</ref> |
*'''Trans bears''', [[achillean]] [[transmasculine]] people who are hairier and heavy.<ref>"Lesbears and Transbears," ''Bears on Bears'', Suresha.</ref> |
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