A polar bear is an older man who has experienced hair color loss. The chub is more likely to be overweight or obese. Other subdivisions of the bear in gay culture include the cub, or a younger bear. More controversy has developed because of the focus on physical features, but that same criticism surrounds the entire gay community and its subdivisions, as most all of them focus on the same type of similarities or differences. Considering the common struggles of the gay community as a whole, it doesn’t seem to make sense that there is so much in-fighting and rampant discrimination within the community itself. This causes a lot of criticism from both inside and outside of the gay community, as discrimination of those who don’t fit one person’s standards has become a lot more pervasive. The term’s namesake is Twinkie, a junk food containing shiny packaging, a sweet taste, and zero nutritional value. At its most pejorative, the term describes a uniquely disposable kind of young gay man: Hairless, guileless, witless. During some events, chubbier guys are excluded so that more muscular bears may participate. In gay company, use of the word twink is typically paired with a rolled eye and a condescending tone. Because there are now so many different types of bears, some feel discriminated against. Within gay culture, there is a much more elaborate bear community. Rob Waltman tried to tell his partner, Peter Dovak, he looked fine. The fact that so many other names (twink and otter included) have developed over the decades has led to confusion even within the gay community, as not everyone knows them all.
Even today, however, there is a lot of debate surrounding exactly what a bear is. urban dictionary has the best definition, a bisexual person, usually though not always female, who is willing to join an existing couple, often with the presumption that this person will date and. The term has continued to evolve.īear Magazine brought the term into the mainstream, and gay culture has used it ever since. Before the term was popularized, it was used for any hairy gay man. They might not portray the same rugged disposition in person as they do when in a picture frame, and so a photograph of a bear might not do them justice. An adjective used to describe a twink (small bottom gay male). They might not be muscular, but when you imagine a bear you imagine the picture of masculinity. A term used to describe a homosexual male who has twinkish tendencies, but the body of a twunk. They aren’t necessarily obese or overweight, but they bring some bulk to the table. What exactly is a “bear” in gay culture?īears are usually on the bigger side. These are slightly hairy guys who might not be quite as big as their counterparts.
A twink, for example, is a younger guy with boyish good looks. On the male side of the gay community, various physical types are categorized, each with its own distinct name. It seems like the “dude” side of gay culture always gets the most attention women are excluded from all the fun.