Gay Bear Porn Popularity
The gay bear subculture is characterized by big, muscled bodies with dense body hair and distinguishes itself from the mainstream Twink community. Several movies and documentaries have explored the culture, including Bear Run and The Butch Factor.
Men who identify as Bears may have higher ostensible self-liking, but interview and ethnographic research has found them to be dissatisfied with their physical traits.
1. Teddy Bear
In gay culture, the term “bear” refers to larger, hairier men who project an image of rugged masculinity. This subculture emerged as a counter to strict beauty standards in gay communities. But as the bear community has expanded to new contexts, including Taiwan, precise standards have remerged, creating a sense of exclusion for those who don’t fit the criteria.
Rocco Steele, a hunky sexy bear who was voted fan favorite in the 2021 GayVN Awards, has said that even though his look is typical of the bear style, he doesn’t think it should be a prerequisite for joining the community. However, some self-described bears have claimed that they don’t welcome higher-bodyfat men (aka chubs) into their events or clubs.
Many gay people struggle with self-image issues. In an age where the media is infatuated with airbrushed and idealized bodies, many gay men feel compelled to adhere to a strict beauty standard that they are not sure they can achieve. As a result, they often feel like second-class citizens.
To combat this, artists Charlie Hunter and Mike Wyeld have created “LOVED,” an exhibition that aims to celebrate the bear community’s values of high self-esteem and body acceptance. The show features nude portraits and a sound and video installation. The exhibit is on view until January 27 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.
2. Bears on Bears
The Bear community is a subculture within the gay community. It features its own cultural traditions, and men identifying as Bears are found throughout the world. The community has its own pornography industry and a burgeoning number of events and other social activities. It also has a variety of spinoff subcultures, including big boy and chub cultures.
These spinoffs may reflect the fact that the Bear culture appears to be a reaction to mainstream gay male normative idealized beauty values and its associated cultural expectations for appearance. However, even though Bears self-present as feeling good about their body traits, the interview and ethnographic research suggests that internalized negative self-perceptions are still present. These men may enact sexual behaviors, such as general submission or being urinated on, to counter these feelings.
From a physical traits perspective, Bears often report wanting partners who are shorter, hairier, less muscular, heavier and with smaller erect penises than their own body traits. These men may shrug off the limitations of traditional heterosexual sex because of the relative safety and acceptance of their Bear identities.
These men are also more likely to partner exclusively with other men who identify as Bears and engage in same-sex activities. The men who participate in these activities may be involved in gay bear clubs and events. There are a variety of publications, ranging from magazine and calendars to pornography produced by companies such as Catalina Video, 100% Bear, BearFilms, and Raging Stallion.
3. Bears on Bears 2.
Bears are a subculture of gay men who exhibit a greater sense of authentic masculine power than Leathermen and other gay male subcultures. Unlike the more heteronormative hypermasculinity valued by Leathermen, Bears display a more hegemonic masculine ethos that includes tolerance of gender-specific sexual behaviors. Moreover, they report lower levels of self-disliking than other gay men and a higher prevalence of enacting desired sexual behaviors.
A variety of adult porn studios cater to bear-type men. These include the independent companies Catalina Video and BULK: The Series, as well as major companies such as Bear Magazine, 100% Bear, and Raging Stallion. In addition, there are a variety of gay websites and smartphone apps that feature bear-themed content.
Research suggests that the popularity of gay bear porn stems from a reaction against the homophobic constraints of mainstream gay culture. Specifically, men who identify as Bears may want partners with a range of body traits and size that would otherwise be rejected by gay mainstream culture. Bears also may have lower ostensible self-esteem than other gay men, which might explain their preference for partners who could potentially reject them on a variety of criteria such as weight and height.
The gay bear community is widespread, with clubs and events found in cities, suburbs, rural areas, and internationally. The community is also the basis for a number of popular gay pornographic films such as BearCity, BULK: The Proposal, and Cachorro.
4. Bears on Bears 3.
Bears are often seen as a reactionary figure against the dominant masculinity exhibited in straight and gay mainstream culture. Unlike Leathermen who revere hypermasculinity, Bears embrace their masculine traits while embracing egalitarianism in their sexual relationships and shrugging off heteronormative and hegemonistic social constraints. This may also be why they self-present with higher ostensible levels of self-esteem, as a front for maintaining their minority subcultural identity (Hennen, 2005).
Bear culture is now global, with many gay men hosting and participating in local and regional bear events. These include “bear” contests — often a sort of masculine beauty pageant with participants wearing costumes and awarded sashes — and a variety of other events, such as teasing, wrestling, or just walking together. Many of these events feature men dressed in costumes resembling the stereotypical image of a bear, with facial and body hair as well as large or full-sized genitals.
This community also maintains a significant presence in the adult entertainment industry, with numerous magazines and pornography studios featuring men of this body type, such as Bear Magazine, 100% BEEF, BearFilms, and Catalina Video. The films BearCity and BearCity 2: The Proposal and the comedy web series Where the Bears Are, BULK: The Series and Skeleton Crew all depict the lifestyle of the bear community. These films and TV shows have helped to bring the concept of the bear to mainstream audiences, and to expand awareness of the sexual behaviors of gay men of this size.