Concept information
Preferred term
bears
Definition
- Bears refers to a subculture of the gay men's community that celebrates being large and hairy, though many of its members suggest that bearness is more a state of mind characterized by friendliness, a down-to-earth attitude, and sex positivity. The idea of a bear as a certain type of gay man was influenced by “chubs” and “chaser” groups, such as Girth and Mirth, and homo-masculine working-class gay icons, such as leather-men, bikers, and cowboys, but also the radical “faerie” subculture that advocated gender ambiguity and a resistance to commodified notions of sex and masculinity. [Source: Encyclopedia of Gender and Society; Bears]
Broader concept
Belongs to group
URI
https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/bears
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