So, What is a Bear?

In the gay male community, the term "bear"  -- frequently used to describe some men -- is not always used too precisely.  Traditionally, a bear is a man who is notably hairy (more body hair than average), bearded (even long before beards became as fashionable as they are today), and burly (a lot of body mass).   In respect to being burly, a bear's body mass can come either from having a lot of muscular development or simply from being fat.  Not to be uncharitable, but truthfully, many self-proclaimed bears are much more fat than they are muscular.  Sometimes, the term "muscle bear" is used to distinguish a bear whose body mass is primarily based on muscle and not flab.  Gay men also get creative with other terms to distinguish other categories of bears, e.g., "polar bear" for a bear with gray/white hair, "ginger bear" for a bear with red hair, and "cub" for a young bear.  One also hears the term "otter" to describe men who are bearded and hairy, but who have a physique that is trimmer than a bear's.

Increasingly, though, I've noticed in this present day of more men being stylishly bearded -- while at the same time, more men being "sissy-scaped" (having significantly trimmed body hair) -- that the term "bear" is now often used describe any bearded man with in-tact body hair.  In other words, a guy may be referred to as a bear even though he may be neither notably hairy nor burly, just as long as he has a beard and his natural body hair.     

I still think of a bear in the traditional usage of the term.  Accordingly, while I am not offended to be called a bear, I don't really consider myself to be one because, while I am bearded & somewhat hairy, my physique is trim & muscular, not burly.  Similarly, I don't really consider The Clan of Men to be a blog focused on bears, as guys I find to be the most sexually desirable are more broadly described as fit, hung, bearded, with natural adult body hair fully in tact.  These criteria include many bears -- particularly muscle bears --  but by no means are restrictive to bears only.  While I post many photos of men who meet all of these criteria, not all men I find attractive enough to include on this blog necessarily fully meet my ideal.  As a practical matter, there is some wiggle room about some things.  For instance, in selecting photos to post to this blog, as well as in selecting sexual partners, I strongly prefer men with beards, but having one is not strictly a "must-have."   I am attracted to different "fit" body types, but I usually don't go for men who are too flabby or too skinny.  I can sometimes (in light of other charms) begrudgingly overlook a little sissy-scaping, but more than just a little is a huge turn-off for me, and I reject a good number of men who I would find sexy, otherwise.  I prefer other well-hung men, but I can be attracted to guys with average-sized dicks.

So, if you are strictly a bear-lover, in the traditional sense of the term, you will find men on this blog who you will like, but undoubtedly there are blogs out there more focused on your tastes.  Like I said, though, many bears are among the men I find manly & sexy.  When I go for a bear-type, while he may be some heavier through the middle body than I normally prefer, he usually has a hot daddy-vibe and a BIG HAIRY DICK.   😊