In LGBTQ slang, the term bear is also used as a neutral descriptor for a large and hairy gay man, which can be compared with the term twink.[3][4]
Bear culture valorizes the larger, hirsute male body, and exhibits and values authentic, "down to earth" masculinity that emphasizes camaraderie over competition between gay men.[5] Bears are an organized and well-established subculture, with dedicated social clubs, events, bars and media.[6]
The bear movement formed in the 1980s in reaction to exclusion from mainstream gay men's spaces and normative male beauty standards,[2][7] and was often characterized by the rejection of effeminate and youth-focused gay culture.[6][8] Bear culture has diversified and evolved over time, with ongoing debate in bear communities about what constitutes a "bear". Some bears continue to place importance on traditional masculinity and may disdain or shun effeminacy,[9] while others consider acceptance and inclusion to be an important value of the community,[10] including wider acceptance of transgender men and non-binary people as bears.[7][11]
^Ron Jackson Suresha, (2002). Bears on Bears: Interviews and Discussions. "Bear Ages and Stages", pages 54–58, 149, 179, 236, 260–262, 294. Los Angeles: Alyson Publications. Retrieved on 2008-09-29 ISBN1-55583-578-3.
^John Dececco and Les Wright, The Bear Book II: Further Readings in the History and Evolution of a Gay Male Subculture. Routledge, 2016. ISBN9781136383274.