“Bears” come out to play at fair celebrating gay subculture
by Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, September 2, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO
Those who think they know what the stereotypical gay man looks like should pay attention to street life in San Francisco this weekend.
Instead of clean-shaven, perfectly manicured men, a rapidly growing subculture of hairy, often chubby guys — known in the gay community as “bears” — will be enjoying a South of Market street fair Sunday, along with other events throughout the city.
At least 5,000 bears are expected to attend the aptly named Hairrison Street Fair, which is in its third year. Traffic from the Bay Bridge construction project is being diverted near the fair, giving Bay Area motorists an opportunity to see bears in their natural environment.
The bear aesthetic emerged in San Francisco a few decades ago, and the city remains its epicenter, but in recent years bears have become a noticeable presence in gay communities around the world.
Bears are showing up in popular culture as well, with references to bears on TV shows, including “The Simpsons” and “The Daily Show.” Fashion designer Marc Jacobs' fall advertising campaign features two gay men who are unmistakably bears.
Largely a reaction against the stereotype of gay men looking like Abercrombie & Fitch models, bears display a matured-male look. Facial hair is the most common characteristic — along with body hair — and there is a range of body types, from chubby to obese to slim and points in between.
Runway fashion and popular culture play less important roles in their lives. The actor John Goodman is a bear icon, and even Santa Claus would fit the image.
“More and more men are coming out because they see the bear aesthetic and identify with some aspect of that male image, the maturity, and say, 'Oh, OK. I didn't know gay people could look like that,' ” said Ron Jackson Suresha, who has written books on bears and hosts an Internet radio program called “Bear Soup.”
