|
In male gay culture, a bear is often a larger, hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity. Bears are one of many LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity. The term ''bear'' was popularized by Richard Bulger, who, along with his then partner Chris Nelson (1960–2006) founded ''Bear Magazine'' in 1987. There is some contention surrounding whether Bulger originated the term and the subculture's conventions. George Mazzei wrote an article for ''The Advocate'' in 1979 called "Who's Who in the Zoo?", that characterized homosexuals as seven types of animals, including bears.〔George Mazzei, (1979). ''Who's Who in the Zoo?''. "The Advocate", pages 42–43.〕 Some bears place importance on presenting a clear masculine image and may show disliking towards men who exhibit effeminacy.〔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 ISBN 1-55583-578-3.〕 The bear concept can function as an identity, an affiliation, and there is ongoing debate in bear communities about what constitutes a bear. Bears are almost always gay or bisexual men. However, as LGBT culture and modern slang has taken on a wider appeal in modern society, it is possible to call a hairy and burly straight man a bear (although they would not be strictly part of the gay bear community). Increasingly, transgender men (trans men) and those who shun labels for gender and sexuality are also included within bear communities.〔Ron Suresha, ''Bears on Bears: Interviews and Discussions''. Lethe Press, 2009. ISBN 9781590212448.〕 However, heterosexual men who have bearish physical traits and are affirming of their gay friends and family (or their gay fans, in the case of a celebrity) may also be informally accorded "honorary" bear status.〔''Bear Nation''. 2010 film, dir. Malcolm Ingram.〕 A smaller number of lesbians, particularly those portrayed as butch, also participate in bear culture, referring to themselves with the distinct label of ursula.〔("Beary feminine: Lesbians are claiming an identity gay men monopolize" ). ''Xtra!'', May 30, 2002.〕 == Events and activities == 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 biker-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 events such as HiBearNation in St. Louis, Missouri, SF Bear Weekend, CBL's Bear Hunt, Bear Pride in Chicago, Texas Bear Round Up (TBRU) in Dallas, Orlando Bear Bash, and Summer Bear Week in Provincetown, drawing regional, national and international visitors. Many LGBT 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 example of a bear contest was International Mr. Bear, formerly held each February at the International Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco. It attracted contestants, often with local titles, from all over the world. The first International Mr. Bear was held in 1992 and the last in 2011. The contest included 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." Gay "leather-bears" have competed in leather contests, and "muscle-bears" are another subculture noted by their muscular body mass. 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 their members, who can contribute to their local gay communities through fund-raising and other functions. Bear events have become very common, to include smaller sized cites and many rural areas. Most gay oriented campgrounds now include some type of bear-related event during their operating season. The bear community constitutes a specialty niche in the commercial market. It offers T-shirts and other accessories as well as calendars and porn movies and magazines 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 ''Bear Magazine'', ''100% BEEF Magazine'', BearFilms, Bear, Butch Bear, Raging Stallion, and Titan Media. There are also social media websites and smartphone apps that market to men of the bear community. As the bear community has matured, so has its music and literature, as well as other (non-pornographic) arts, media, and culture. Examples include Bearapalooza, a traveling bear music festival; Bear Bones Books, an imprint of GLBTQ publisher Lethe Press, which markets fiction, nonfiction, and poetry titles written by and for bears; BearRadio.net, which streams bear and LGBT music and bear-themed podcast shows. The larger organized bear runs often host a "bear market" area where artisans, musicians, and others offer items for sale. 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. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bear (gay culture)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|