I've never experienced the “get bigger and fit in” attitude among bears in general. I realize that may be because I'm already bigger and it's not like I don't suspect at times that people say to themselves “sweetie, get smaller and fit in.”
Due to my suburban isolation, I encountered bears as a group only recently so I don't have a long history with them. What I notice is that bear men tend to just be regular guys who enjoy other regular guys. Everything else seems to be a one-off that makes individuals seem less conformist than in many other groups. For example, I know bears who are involved with the imperial court system, leather bears, food & wine bears, and so on, but their “bearness” seems identifiable and more consistent to other bears than any other characteristic.
I'm losing everyone, aren't I?
Ok, the point is that in bear groups, there appears to be enough room for guys who aren't hairy and who are slim or muscular or not large or fat. Am I wrong? I certainly know people who claim to be dismissed at bear gatherings because they don't look a certain way. But in general, is that true?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-01-26 10:29 am (UTC)Due to my suburban isolation, I encountered bears as a group only recently so I don't have a long history with them. What I notice is that bear men tend to just be regular guys who enjoy other regular guys. Everything else seems to be a one-off that makes individuals seem less conformist than in many other groups. For example, I know bears who are involved with the imperial court system, leather bears, food & wine bears, and so on, but their “bearness” seems identifiable and more consistent to other bears than any other characteristic.
I'm losing everyone, aren't I?
Ok, the point is that in bear groups, there appears to be enough room for guys who aren't hairy and who are slim or muscular or not large or fat. Am I wrong? I certainly know people who claim to be dismissed at bear gatherings because they don't look a certain way. But in general, is that true?