LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Bears Invade Rehoboth Beach |
Bears have invaded Rehoboth. No, Im not talking about the furry animals that live in the woods; Im talking about friendly, hirsute men. Maybe even you are a bear and just dont know it. Theres a new bear club in town, The Eastern Shore Bears, and maybe youve even heard of it. If you havent, Im sure you will. I am a bear and it is my pleasure to set down a few lines and help you understand the whole bear thing a bit better from a bears eye point of view. The bear movement started in the early 1990s. Many gay men (myself included) knew full well we did not fit the almost Grecian gay ideal of beauty, so we decided to redefine what was attractive. You know who we were: we were always on the fringe of gay society, and although we wanted acceptance, we didnt quite fit in. We werent swayed by style and didnt wear designer clothes or the latest hairstyle. Many of us had been rejected because we sported facial hair, had hairy bodies, or fuller figures. The type of man we searched for was different for the time, too. We were more contented to ogle construction workers, wrestlers, or truck drivers instead of lanky go-go boys cavorting on top of the disco dais. In the 70s gay macho images were valued and cultivated, but in the 80s the tide inexplicably turned. In a flood of yuppie conservatism gay men, wanting to fit in, cloned themselves into uncomfortable roles. The bear movement aimed to reverse this trend, saying essentially that it was okay for a man to be himselfwhatever it wasand that he didnt have to have the ideal look, designer clothes, upscale tastes, or a lanky, hairless, body. When word got out that there was a group who valued other types of guys, many men joined the ranks finding the love and social acceptance that they had craved for years. So what exactly is a bear? An exact definition is hard to pinpoint, but a generally accepted one is that bears are men who have facial hair and/or body hair and who often prefer their partners that way. Many people think that all bears are obese. This is not true and is somewhat of a negative stereotype. Having facial hair (a mustache and/or a beard) is thought by many to be the strongest criteria for bears, but there are many guys due to genetics that arent covered with fur, but they are bears none-the-less. As for the part about being heavy, the bear movement has taught us that it is okay for people not to have perfect bodiesbeing overweight is okay, but that doesnt mean that we dont appreciate a great physique. Bears like solid muscular bodieslike those seen on professional wrestlers or football players, and all the better if its covered with fur. If you look at the leading bear publications, Bear and American Bear, you will see a wide range of body typesthe main criteria is again the hair. If you are hanging around with bears and have no hair at all on your face or body, you would most likely be considered a Bear Hunter (a guy who admires bears, but isnt actually a bear himself). Someone tall, thin and hairy is considered to be an otter, and within the bear community you will hear other classifications too. These classifications, as time goes on, seem to be somewhat open to personal interpretation. For one thing the term Daddy Bear, which to some people means a masculine top, to others is a silver haired father figure. Likewise the term Cub used to mean someone being a young bear, but now for many it can mean simply being a smaller bear or a bottom. Folks seem to agree about the term Grizzlythis is a guy who is big and covered with hair all over and usually has a very prominent beard. If a bear comes up to you and exclaims, "WOOF!" it doesnt mean he thinks youre a dog, its just bear talk for "Youre hot!"so take it as a compliment! You probably have seen bears around town; they tend to travel in packs. Bears aplenty are to be seen at North Beach (Gordons Pond State Park) during the summer. For the past two years, the Chesapeake Bay Bears (CBB) club has invaded town shortly after Labor Day and stayed at the Shore Inn. They went to North Beach during the day and partied at the bars all night. This leads me to the topic of bear clubs. Bear clubs are fraternal organizations of men who either like bears or identify themselves as being bears. These clubs can be found in all the big cities across the country and even overseas. These men get together to enjoy each others company, raise money for various charities, and to offer alternative social activities to gay bars. Many clubs have movie nights, go on trips, and do other things like having potluck dinners. Big bear parties are called runs, and are hosted by a specific club. Runs can attract men from all over the world (literally) and range from smaller gatherings of 200 or so to a couple of thousand. Bears are so inclusive that there is someone for everyone at a run. In town youll find bears hanging out at the Double L. Bears like homey bars where they can be casual and free to be themselves. It isnt surprising that Double L is the home bar of the new local club, The Eastern Shore Bears. They plan to have a bar night the first Friday of every month and various other events like bear contests and beach parties. If you fancy yourself a bear or just plain fancy bears you should really check it out. The Eastern Shore Bears may be contacted online at: eshorbears@aol.com. Information about specific bar nights can be found at the Double L. Hope to see you there. WOOF! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 9, No. 4, May 7, 1999 |