The International Bear Brotherhood Flag designed by Paul Witzkoske for Bear Manufacturing

The Bear community is a subculture in the gay community. "Bears" are usually gay or bisexual men with hairy bodies and facial hair; some are heavy-set, but that is not a requirement. Bears often exhibit an outwardly masculine appearance. Some Bears place great importance on presenting a hyper-masculine image; some may shun interaction with men who display effeminate style and mannerisms. Bear Flag of California This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... Bear Flag of California This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Images and media for deletion. ... The sociological construct of a gay community is complex among those that classify themselves as homosexual, ranging from full-embracement to complete and utter rejection of the concept. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... “Bisexual” redirects here. ... One kind of modern beard. ... This article is about the medical term. ... “Manliness” redirects here. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... In Parmigianinos Madonna with the Long Neck (1534-40), Mannerism makes itself known by elongated proportions, affected poses, and unclear perspective. ...

Note: The terms Bear, Cub, Otter, Wolf, et cetera are usually capitalized to differentiate between the "animals" referenced and their human counterparts. Cub can refer to: the young of certain large predatory animals such as bears, lions and other big cats, and wolves; analogous to a canine pup (also in some of the following meanings) by analogy a human youth, especially one who is inexperienced, awkward, or ill-mannered, boy or (rarer... Wolf or wolves may refer to: Look up wolf in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

There is much debate in the gay community as to the definition of a Bear; some say anyone who identifies himself as a Bear is one, while others argue that Bears must have certain physical characteristics--such as a hairy chest and face or having a large body--and a certain mode of dress and behavior.

Origins

Bears marching in San Francisco Pride 2004.

The Bear community originated in San Francisco in the 1980s as an outgrowth of the gay biker and then later the leather and "girth and mirth" communities. It was created by men who felt that mainstream gay culture was unwelcoming to men who did not fit a particular body norm (hairless and young). Also, many gay men in rural America never identified with the stereotypical urban gay lifestyle, and went searching for an alternative which more closely resembled the typical blue collar American male image. Download high resolution version (1818x1306, 247 KB)Bears marching in San Francisco Pride Parade 2004. ... Download high resolution version (1818x1306, 247 KB)Bears marching in San Francisco Pride Parade 2004. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Front line of Gay Pride parade in Paris, France; June 2005 Gay pride or LGBT pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... For people named Leather, see Leather (surname). ... A chubby in sunglasses The chubby community is a subculture in the gay community. ... Christopher Street Parade Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures concern the culture, knowledge, and references shared by members of sexual minorities or transgendered people by virtue of their membership in those minorities or their state of being transgendered. ... A blue-collar worker is a working class employee who performs manual or technical labor, such as in a factory or in technical maintenance trades, in contrast to a white-collar worker, who does non-manual work generally at a desk. ...

Richard Bulger, publisher, and his partner, Chris Nelson (photographer), started Bear Magazine--originally a photocopied flyer--from their home in San Francisco's North Beach in 1987. Over a 5-year period, the magazine grew to an internationally distributed high-gloss format, but still intentionally kept the stark look of Chris's black and white photography. Their company, Brush Creek Media^[1], obtained a trademark on the name "Bear" for a men's magazine in 1991 ^[2]. Bearded, blue-collar, rural, and working-class men were idolized in the magazine. Richard Bulger creator of BEAR Magazine, was the originator of adult-gay-male entertainment for the Bear community, along with his partner, photographer Chris Nelson. ... Chris Nelson (1960-2006), photographer and co-founder of Bear Magazine in the 1980s, was the photographic pioneer in the gay-oriented erotic photography of mature men with hairy bodies and facial hair. ... Bear Magazine (in publication San Francisco 1984-2000) was the original erotic periodical specifically geared toward gay men who are admirers of blue-collar, working-class men, often with body or facial hair. ...

Richard's friend Rick Redewill, who had founded San Francisco's "Lone Star Saloon" bought full-page ads in every issue of Bear; they soon found themselves with a huge success nationally, especially among rural gay Americans, who would travel to San Francisco just to find a unique "blue collar" gay bar, filled with a masculine-identified crowd who were radically different than the stereotypical gay bar image. Rick Redewill born Richard Byron Redewill in California on August 9, 1952 was the founder of the Lone Star Saloon, the gay bar which is credited as helping give birth to the Bear Community in San Francisco. ...

The Lone Star became "ground zero" for the incubation of the Bear Community between 1990 and 1993. Unlike other gay clubs where dance music was the norm, the Lone Star played rock music for the appreciation of a more masculine-identifying customer base.

Much of the Lone Star staff, including its owner Redewill, became victims of the AIDS devastation which swept San Francisco. The bar was taken over by new owners in 1993. Bear Magazine was sold to Bear-Dog Hoffman, who expanded the Brush Creek Media empire into several special-interest gay magazines and video series.

"Bear Magazine" ceased publication in 2000. Some of its former staff members went on to work on a new publication called "100% Beef." [1] Though the Bear subculture germinated long before advent of the Internet, it can be closely tied to the growth of online social networking. Gay men who felt they were not welcome at their local gay meeting places (or who just wanted a quick hookup) found easy access to and acceptance from similar people online. Gay men were quick to pick up on the online Bear community, but Bears of all ages are part of it.

At the onset of the Bear movement, some Bears separated from the gay community at large, forming "bear clubs" to create social and sexual opportunities for their own. Many clubs are loosely organized social groups; others are modeled on leather back-patch clubs, with a strict set of bylaws, membership requirements, and charities. Bear clubs often sponsor large yearly events--"Bear runs" or "Bear gatherings" like the annual Lazybear event--drawing regional, national and international visitors. And many events attract a significant bear following, such as Southern Decadence in New Orleans. A feature at many Bear events is a "Bear contest," a sort of masculine beauty pageant awarding titles and sashes (often made of leather) to winners. One of the largest and most notable contests, International Mr. Bear, is held each February at the International Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco. It attracts contestants, often with local titles, from all over the world. The first International Mr. Bear was John Caldera in 1992. The contest includes Bear, Daddy, Cub, and Grizzly titles with the contestant who receives the highest score winning the bear title, regardless of what type he is. Example: "Mr. Washington, D.C. Bear, 2006.") For people named Leather, see Leather (surname). ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

Mr. DC Bear Cub 2006 and Mr. DC Bear 2006.

Gay Leatherbears have competed in leather contests, and Musclebears have a subculture driven by websites like Big Musclebears.^[3] Image File history File links DCBear. ... Image File history File links DCBear. ...

The Bear community has spread all over the world, with Bear clubs in many countries. Bear clubs often serve as social and sexual networks for older, hairier, sometimes heavier gay and bisexual men, and members often contribute to their local gay communities through fundraising and other functions. Bear events are common in heavily-gay communities, and lots of flux and interaction occur between members of the different subcommunities.

The gay Bear community constitutes a specialty niche in the commercial market. It offers T-shirts and other accessories as well as calendars and porn movies featuring Bear icons, e.g., Jack Radcliffe. Catalina Video has a bear-themed line: the "Furry Features Series." Other adult studios who feature Bear-type men are BearFilms, Butch Bear, Raging Stallion, and Titan Media. T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... For other uses, see Calendar (disambiguation) A page from the Hindu calendar 1871–1872. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Jack Radcliffe, Gay Bear Porn Actor and Model Jack RadCliffe is a popular pornographic film star who appears in gay adult films. ... Catalina Video is an award-winning production house of gay pornography, founded in 1978 by William Higgins. ...

As more gay men have identified themselves as Bears, more bars, especially leather or western bars, have become Bear-friendly. Some bars cater specifically to Bear patrons. As Bears have become more common in the larger gay culture, and as more gay and bisexual men identify themselves as Bears, Bears have not segregated themselves as much as they once did. Gay Bears are now a mainstream element of the gay community at large because of the community. Singles bar redirects here. ...

Controversy

• In 1992, Bear Magazine, under pressure from its worldwide distributor, threatened trademark infringement lawsuits against several smaller publications which included the word "Bear" in their title. This caused a good deal of animosity between the smaller, often locally-oriented and local-bear-group operated-publications, and the internationally distributed "Bear".

• As the Bear Culture has matured, it has subdivided itself, and many claim that discrimination has increased within the Bear community as some men who self-identify as "Bears" or "Musclebears" do not welcome higher-bodyfat men (see Chubby culture) at their events. A common criticism of the Bear community is that some self-described Bears tend to exclude men who do not fit their standards of what a "real Bear" is. Fat (or lack of it) is a political issue among Bears, some of whom see their overweight condition as a form of self-acceptance. Some also note a lack of racial diversity in the Bear community, believing this to be an exclusively "white" beauty standard.

• The AIDS devastation in San Francisco caused a divide between older and younger Bear-identified men, peaking in the early 1990s, with few connections that survived between the two. Some older survivors claim that the current Bear culture has become "shallow and catty", a common criticism of mainstream gay culture, claiming that the younger Bear Community cannot identify with the culture's original roots as a masculine alternative for rural, masculine-identified gay men, and further that the idea of Bear "pageants" and "title winners" runs completely contrary to the original Bear concept of idolizing the straight-appearing masculine blue-collar American male.

The chubby community is a subculture in the gay community. ... This article is about race as an intraspecies classification. ... This article is about the color. ... For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ...

References in pop culture

Though not generally widely known outside of the gay community, the "Bear" concept has surfaced in pop culture. The sociological construct of a gay community is complex among those that classify themselves as homosexual, ranging from full-embracement to complete and utter rejection of the concept. ...

Live Events

• On September 1, 2007, in a live interview called "The TrekTrak Show" with Star Trek: The Next Generation actors Jonathan Frakes (Riker), Brent Spiner (Data) and Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher) at Dragon*Con, host Eric L. Watts (who self-identifies as a Bear) asked Frakes if he was aware that he was "something of an icon in the Bear community."^[4]

The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ... Dragon Con (also Dragon*Con) is North Americas largest science fiction convention, held annually in Atlanta, Georgia. ...

Television

• On the Sept 25, 2007 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, director Kevin Smith revealed that he will be on the cover of the next issue of A Bear's Life magazine, and gives the audience a quick introduction to Bears in general.
• On the July 25, 2007 episode of Top Chef, the host reads a question from a viewer directed towards Tom Colicchio asking, "Do you realize that you are an icon of the Bear community?"
• On the American television show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, a stocky and hairy man receiving a makeover was informed by one of the hosts that, "In our community, you would be called a Cub!"
• In the British television show Absolutely Fabulous, during the episode entitled "Gay", the character of Bo (Mo Gaffney) attempts to put her husband Marshall's potential homosexual tendencies to the test by setting him up on a date with a "Daddy Bear".
• The Kids in the Hall Season 5 episode 2 1994, a skit called Grizzly showed Kevin McDonald being "attacked by a bear" in a gay bar and surviving by flashing back to his Boy Scout training, eventually "playing dead".^[5]
• In The L Word, season three's episode 2 (Lost Weekend), characters Jenny and Moira enter a club's "Bear Night" and dance among large, bearded men.
• On the reality show Can't Get a Date, singer/actor James Bradford identifies as a Bear (but is shown actively trying to lose weight)
• On the June 19, 2006 episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert listed Bears as the top threat to his continued heterosexuality, a play on his previously stated fear of the animal of the same name.
• On the 11 August 2006 episode of Big Brother's Big Mouth, Russell Brand spoke to a member of the studio audience and asked them "You're what is known in the gay community as a Bear, aren't you?"
• Bears make an appearance on an episode of Wildboyz.
• On the January 28, 2007 episode of American Dad, Stan Smith says "Did you know that in the gay community a hairy man is called a Bear?"
• In the Canadian comedy series Chris & John to the Rescue!, during the episode titled "Write My Article!" the two title characters travel to Vermont to participate in a gay Bear film festival. Their film entry, titled "Gay Bears Eat Babies", is met with great hostility. Chris and John humorously dispel fictitious gay Bear myths.
• On an episode of The Simpsons, Homer leaves Marge temporarily to live with a gay man. Standing on the street corner together, a group of gay men drive by and yell out "Who's the Bear? Woof!" (referring to the portly Homer.)
• In another episode of The Simpsons in which a Brown Bear wanders into Springfield, Homer stirs up the government to provide a "bear patrol" to rid the town of bears. On their protest march to the town hall Homer sings "We're here, we're queer, we don't want anymore bears" when Lenny asks if Homer came up with it Homer claims "Oh, I heard it at the mustache parade they have every year".
• In the animated TV series Freak Show, one of Freak Squad's members is Log Cabin Republican, a thin, effeminate homosexual whose superhuman ability is to turn into the "Burly Bear", a taller, more muscular man dressed in biker gear.

September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Late Show with David Letterman is an hour-long weeknight comedy and talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City. ... This article is about the American screenwriter and film director. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges. ... Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is an hour-long American television series that premiered on the Bravo cable television network on July 15, 2003, and promptly became both a surprise hit (at least by the standards of cable TV) and one of the most talked-about television programs of... Absolutely Fabulous is a British sitcom written by and starring Jennifer Saunders and co-starring Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks. ... Mo Gaffney (born Maureen E. Gaffney on November 5, 1958 in San Diego, California) is an American actress, comedienne, writer and activist. ... A Daddy in gay culture is an older man sexually involved in a relationship or having a sexual interest in a younger man or son (gay culture). ... For the Chicago rap group see Kidz in the Hall. ... For other persons named Kevin McDonald, see Kevin McDonald (disambiguation). ... This article is about the TV series. ... Cant Get a Date is a documentary-style reality show on VH1 and Logo. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Colbert Report (IPA ) is an American satirical television program that airs from 11:30 p. ... This article is about Stephen Colbert, the actor. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Big Brothers Big Mouth (formerly Big Brothers EFourum) is a discussion programme based around the reality television series Big Brother, hosted by comedian Russell Brand. ... Russell Edward Brand [1] (born June 4, 1975 in Grays, Essex)[2] is an English radio and television personality, comedian, actor, and newspaper columnist. ... Wildboyz, which debuted in 2003 on MTV and moved to MTV2 in its third season, is a spin-off and follow-up to Jackass. ... is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The Smiths, from left to right: Roger, Francine, Stan, Klaus, Hayley, and Steve. ... Stanley Stan Smith is the main character of the animated television series American Dad! Stan is a Central Intelligence Agency agent and, later on in the series, the Deputy-Deputy Director, placing him on the third tier of importance in the C.I.A. under Deputy-Director Bullock. ... Chris & John to the Rescue! is a reality television series originally broadcast on OUTtv in 2006 and in Australia on SelecTV. The series follows best friends and self-proclaimed culture aficionados, Chris and John, as they come to the rescue of people in need of their unique services. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... // Look up Springfield in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Freak Show is an animated television series on Comedy Central featuring actors David Cross and H. Jon Benjamin. ... A Log Cabin Republican poster, with the typical use of Abraham Lincoln The Log Cabin Republicans is a political organization in the United States, consisting of gay, lesbian and bisexual supporters of the Republican Party. ...

Music

• A full-scale music festival of musicians identified as Bears, called Bearapalooza". was started by musician Freddy Freeman[2] in New York City in 2002. It has since travelled to Seattle, Washington, Dade City, Florida, and Philadelphia; its current homebase is Nashville, Tennessee.
• The BEARatones are a Seattle based Bear Singing Group who sing about the Bear Community
• Shannon Grady is a musician from Minneapolis and co-host of weekly podcast bTalk
• Bear Radio Network is an eclectic radio webcast that features many of the top bear identified artists and is listed in iTunes under radio/eclectic.
• Minnesota indie rock band Lifter Puller, on their album Half Dead and Dynamite, wrote a song called "The Bears". It features lyrics such as "your kisses taste just like Skoal Bandits".
• Mark Weigle included the song "Bears" on his 2002 album, "Out of the Loop." He put a takeoff on the rap song "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot titled "Buddy Got Gut," on his 2005 album, "Soulsex."
• The song "Oh Word?" by The Beastie Boys contain the lyrics "I swear it wasn't me in Bear magazine / Because I'm not that hairy oh contrary"

Seattle redirects here. ... Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Pasco County Area    - City 8. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... “Nashville” redirects here. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... This article is about the city in Minnesota. ... Lifter Puller (sometimes spelled Lftr Pllr) was a Minnesota indie rock band from 1994 to 2000. ... Half-Dead and Dynamite is the second LP released by the Minnesota indie rock band Lifter Puller. ... Mark Weigle (born 1967 in Annandale, Minnesota) is a homosexual singer/songwriter with at least five albums to his credit. ... Anthony Ray (born August 12, 1963), known as Sir Mix-a-Lot, is a Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer, originally from Seattle, Washington, U.S.. // Sir Mix-a-Lot worked together with Miami bass icon DJ Magic Mike, Mudhoney, Metal Church (on a cover of Black Sabbaths Iron... The Beastie Boys as depicted on the cover of their 1992 album Check Your Head. ...

Books

• Chris Nelson's original San Francisco Bear Magazine photograph collection, which first depicted bearish men from Bear Magazine are collected in The Bear Cult: Photographs by Chris Nelson (1992, ISBN 0-85449-161-9) from Gay Men's Press, London.
• Les K. Wright edited two nonfiction anthologies, The Bear Book: Readings in the History and Evolution of a Gay Male Subculture (1997, ISBN 1-56023-890-9), and The Bear Book 2 (2001, ISBN 1-56023-165-3), both from Haworth Press.
• Ray Kampf authored The Bear Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Those Who Are Husky, Hairy and Homosexual, and Those Who Love 'Em (2000, ISBN 1-56023-997-2). The Bear Handbook website
• Ron Suresha authored a 2002 nonfiction anthology, Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions (ISBN 1-55583-578-3), 25 dialogues with 57 bear-identified men and bear-lovers from around the world, including interviews with comedian Bruce Vilanch, porn model Jack Radcliffe, and Survivor star Richard Hatch. Suresha edited two fiction anthologies, Bearotica: Hot, Hairy, Heavy Fiction (2002, ISBN 1-55583-577-5), and Bear Lust: Hot, Hairy, Heavy Fiction (2004, ISBN 1-55583-818-9), also published by Alyson Publications
• Jonathan Cohen authored a 2003 novel Bear Like Me (ISBN 1-56023-418-0), Southern Tier Editions
• In the book I'm a Believer by Jessica Adams (ISBN 0-312-32107-4), one of the central characters is a bear.
• PJ Gray authored a 2005 cookbook, More Bear Cookin': Bigger and Better (ISBN 1-56023-326-5), illustrated by Terry J; a revision of the 2003 book, Bear Cookin': The Original Guide to Bear Comfort Foods by PJ Gray and Stanley Hunter: both published by Harrington Park Press
• In Wayne Hoffman's 2006 novel, Hard, the central character is a Bear.

Ron Suresha is the author or editor of seven works of nonfiction and fiction, including the nonfiction anthology, Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions (2002, ISBN 1-55583-578-3), 25 dialogues with 57 bear-identified men and bear-lovers from around the world, including interviews with comedian Bruce Vilanch, porn... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jack Radcliffe, Gay Bear Porn Actor and Model Jack RadCliffe is a popular pornographic film star who appears in gay adult films. ... Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show based on the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1992 by Charlie Parsons. ... Richard Hatch Richard Hatch (born April 8, 1961) is currently spending several years in prison for tax evasion. ... Music sample: The Monkees - Im a Believer ( file info) — 16 seconds (of 2:47) Problems listening to the file? See media help. ...

Periodicals

• 100% BEEF, the hair/heir apparent the publishing legacy abandoned by Bear Magazine was launched in May 2002, by former Brush Creek Media Employees, including former Bear Magazine editor Scott McGillivray. Many of the contributing photographers, writers, artists, and columnists who previously contributed regularly to BEAR Magazine began regularly contributing to 100% BEEF Magazine. 100% BEEF Magazine, which continues to celebrate gay masculine identities while simultaneously challenging gay standards of beauty and sexual attractiveness, is now it its 6th year of publishing, and is the preeminent Adult Masculine Men's Magazine for gay men worldwide, including bears, beasts and all varieties of masculine beauties. (www.beefmag.com)
• In her April 2002 Village Voice column, sexuality advocate and author Tristan Taormino unpacked some aspects of the subculture.
• In August 2003, weblogger Andrew Sullivan acknowledged himself a Bear in an article on the bear community for Salon.com.
• A Bear's Life 2005, magazine, Bear Brother's Enterprises Ltd.^[6]
• BearParty Magazine 2007, a free, full-color, glossy community magazine distributed quarterly to hundreds of bear bars and bear clubs worldwide, CyberBears, LLC.^[7]

The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... Tristan Taormino (born 9 May 1971) is an award-winning author, columnist, editor, and self-styled anal sexpert. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with her Bachelors degree in American Studies from Wesleyan University in 1993. ... A weblog (now more commonly known as a blog) is a web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles (normally, but not always, in reverse chronological order). ... Andrew Michael Sullivan (born August 10, 1963) is a libertarian conservative author and political commentator, distinguished by his often personal style of political analysis. ... Salon. ...

Films

• Cachorro (Bear Cub), dir. Miguel Albaladejo, Spain, 2004 - IMDb page--a drama about an urban Bear who parents his nephew when the boy's mother goes to jail.
• A Dirty Shame, dir. John Waters, U.S., 2004--a satirical film that includes a bear family: "Papa Bear," "Mama Bear," and "Baby Bear."
• In the film Another Gay Movie, reality show star Richard Hatch was referred to as a Million-Dollar Bear.
• In I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, a woman asks the character played by Adam Sandler if he is a chubby chaser, thus implying that the character played by Kevin James is a chubby gay guy.

Many short films about Bears can be seen in film festivals (gay/queer film festivals as well as local/international film festivals), including: Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Dirty Shame is a 2004 film by Baltimore, Maryland filmmaker John Waters starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak and Mink Stole. ... John Waters (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, personality, visual artist and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Another Gay Movie is a 2006 feature film, directed by Todd Stephens, humorously and satirically exploring gay coming of age through the lives of four gay male friends. ... Richard Hatch is a name used by the following people: Richard Hatch (actor), played Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica. ... I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (a. ... Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, musician, screenwriter, and film producer. ... Chubby chaser is a term that refers to a person who is attracted to an overweight sexual partner. ... Kevin James (born April 26, 1965) is an American comedian and Emmy-nominated actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of lead character Doug Heffernan on the television sitcom The King of Queens. ... Short subject is an American film industry term that historically has referred to any film in the format of two reels, or approximately 20 minutes running time, or less. ... A film festival is the presentation or showcasing of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues. ...

• Men on Fur on Men, dirs. Martin Borden and Clark Niklolai, Canada, 2003, miniDV, 8 mins.
• A Bear’s 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 Bear’s Story”, dir. Village TV, US, 2003, video, 7 mins.
• My Heart the Cook, dirs. Jerry McCadden and Clark Nikolai, Canada, 2001, miniDV, 2 mins.
• 30 Bears in a Bathtub, filmed by Jonathan Robinson, and features the Manbears group in Manchester. 12 minutes.

Bear adult movie actors of note include Hank Hightower, Buster, Mickey Squires, Jack Radcliffe, Dean Peters, and Steve Hurley. Musclebear actors appear in films issued by COLT Studio Group and Raging Stallion. Catalina Video has issued films in its "Furry Features Series" such as "Bear Country" (with Steve Hurley), "Bear Chested" (with Barry Barrett), and "Bear Bust" (with Paul Gator); a tie-in with its "Generation Gap Series" includes "Junior Meets the Bear Patrol" (with Damien). Hank Hightower is an American pornographic actor (porn star) who appeared in gay adult films. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The highly successful and acclaimed Arabesque Raging Stallion is an American studio that produces gay pornographic movies. ...

Other media

• Steve C from the Opie & Anthony show is said to look like a Bear that 'enjoys a deep man kiss' from time to time. A popular sound clip on the show is Steve saying "grrr." Jim Norton (comedian) is credited with originating this persona.
• Perhaps the earliest reference to Beardom in pop culture may be in a fake commercial on The Firesign Theatre's Everything You Know Is Wrong album: "See that bear, lapping up that good ol' country water? Kinda makes a big, hairy guy like me thirsty. That's why I like to wrap my lips around the tall, sweaty, head of a bottle of good ol' country Bear Whiz Beer! Like my daddy said, 'Son, it's in the water! That's why it's yellow!' "
• On An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder, Kevin Smith asked a fan who resembled a bear if he was gay. The fan said that he was not, and Kevin replied, "You would have more opportunities if you were gay," then gave a brief overview of the Bear community, and said that his close friend Malcolm Ingram was a bear himself. Malcolm told Smith he would be the Marilyn Monroe of the Bear community if he was gay.

Opie and Anthony Opie (Gregg Hughes, 1965- ) and Anthony (Anthony Cumia, 1963- ) are the hosts of the satellite radio program The Opie and Anthony Show. ... Jim Norton (born July 19, 1968) is a professional comedian hailing from New Jersey. ... This article is about the American screenwriter and film director. ... Malcolm Ingram at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Malcolm Ingram is a gay Canadian independent film director. ... Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was a Golden Globe award winning American actress, model and sex symbol. ...

Terminology

Some terminology relating to the Bear community includes:

• Admirer - a term that refers to someone who is sexually or romantically attracted to Bears (this term is often used in various communities to describe an outsider who has sexual attraction to people within that community). Also often referred to as a Chaser. Admirers/Chasers can be of any weight, hairy or hairless and any age.
• Bear - a man with a stocky or heavyset build. Can be hairy or hairless and can be of any age.
• Cub - a younger (or younger looking) version of a Bear, typically but not always with a smaller frame. The term is sometimes used to imply the passive partner in a relationship. Can be hairy or hairless.
• Daddy bear - is an older guy sometimes looking for a daddy/son relationship with either a younger Bear, Cub, Otter, Wolf or Chaser.
• Goldilocks - A female, often heterosexual, who is often in the company of bears. A bear's fag hag. Also can be referred to as an Ursula.
• Muscle bear - a muscular version of a Bear. A muscle cub is a younger or smaller, yet muscular, version. Can be hairy or hairless and of any age.
• Panda bear - a bear of Asian ethnicity. A panda cub is younger version. Usually hairless.
• Polar bear - a silver- or white-haired Bear.
• Otter - a man who is hairy, but is not large or stocky - typically thinner, or with lean muscle. Slimmer version of a Bear with little pockets of fat like love handles or a tiny gut, but not as lean as a Wolf.
• Woof - A greeting often used when a Bear spots another Bear in public and wants to express physical attraction. He might make a growling noise ("Grrr!") or say "Woof!"
• Bear run - a gathering or circuit party for Bear/Cub types and their Admirers.

Chubby chaser is a term that refers to a person who is attracted to an overweight sexual partner. ... Fag hag is a slang term for a woman who associates mostly or exclusively with gay men. ... A circuit party is a mega dance event, extending through a night and into the following day, almost always with a number of affiliated events in the days leading up to and following the main event. ...

Bear codes

Main article: The Natural Bears Classification System

"Bear codes" are sometimes used in e-mail (often as part of a signature block), web postings, and online profiles to identify Bear-related attributes of the author or poster. See, e.g., "The Bear Codes" on the Resources for Bears Web site. A sample Bear code is: The Natural Bears Classification System (NBCS or the bear code) is a set of symbols using letters, numbers and other characters commonly found on modern, Western computer keyboards, and used for the self-identification of those who self-identify as bears in the sense of a mature gay or bisexual... A signature block (often abbreviated as signature, sig block, sig file, or just sig) is a block of text automatically appended at the bottom of an e-mail message, Usenet article, or forum post. ...

B4 s- m g++ w d+c t+ f+ k+ r e+(+?)

Bear Code may be the earliest example (1989) of Internet self-classification codes. Familiarity with this classification system is concentrated in the subcommunity of Bears who were early adopters of Internet communications, and is not widespread within the general community.

See also

• Homosexuality
• Masculinity
• Homomasculinity
• Leather subculture
• Chubby culture
• Sexual orientation
• Normal, Ohio
• Facial hair
• Chest hair
• Ron Suresha, author, Bears on Bears; and editor, Bearotica & Bear Lust

Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... “Manliness” redirects here. ... Homomasculinity is a term used to describe a subculture of gay men who self-identify with the imagery, culture, and gender role of what is normally seen as traditional, straight male masculinity. Homomasculine men may demonstrate traits that include, but are not limited to, an interest or participation in sports... The Leather Pride flag, which has become a symbol of the BDSM and fetish subculture. ... The chubby community is a subculture in the gay community. ... Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, usually conceived of as classifiable according to the sex or gender of the persons whom the individual finds sexually attractive. ... Normal, Ohio is an American television sitcom, which aired on the Fox Network in 2000. ... One kind of modern beard. ... The term chest hair is generally used to describe hair that grows on the chest of human males, in the region between the neck and the abdomen. ... Ron Suresha is the author or editor of seven works of nonfiction and fiction, including the nonfiction anthology, Bears on Bears: Interviews & Discussions (2002, ISBN 1-55583-578-3), 25 dialogues with 57 bear-identified men and bear-lovers from around the world, including interviews with comedian Bruce Vilanch, porn...

References

External links

• Camille Paglia's commentary on Bears for Salon
• "I am Bear, hear me roar," Andrew Sullivan's article for Salon