Bear Flag – Fluffy and proud!

3.8K

One of the things I love about the LGBT world is that there is always something new to learn. In today’s article, that’s the Bear Flag.

I’ll quickly tell you about my first encounter with this flag and then share what I’ve learned about it since I first saw it flying on that hot summer day.

First sighting of the bear flag

My friend and I recently visited Madrid during our European vacation. Little did we know that Madrid Pride was taking place that weekend.

But here’s the thing.

Summers in Madrid (and pretty much all of Spain) are scorching hot. So our plan was to just hang out and hang out. We’d take a few pictures, have a drink or two, soak up the local energy, etc. After all, we’d been to more than one party in Hong Kong, and our exhausted bodies were starting to suffer from the heat stroke.

So, we did what we had to do. After spending a few hours watching the local proud wildlife (which was awesome), we started our way back.

This is where I saw the bear flag.

Now I thought I knew a lot about Pride. But even I ended up standing there pointing and shouting, “What is that?!”

It turns out the girl behind me knew the answer.

“I asked the same question,” she said. She then went on to explain that the person holding the flag told her it was for International Bear Brotherhood.

OK! Bear! That’s all I need to know. But for some readers, that might not be enough. So let’s dig a little deeper.

What is a bear?

Bears are a subgenre of gay culture characterized by tall, burly, hairy men who symbolize rugged masculinity.

And, through my studies, I’ve learned that just because you’re tall and hairy doesn’t automatically put you in that category. It’s what you self-identify as. It combines gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

More information about the Bear Flag

The flag was originally created by Craig Burns in 1995. Burns had first-hand experience of the bear culture that had flourished since the early 1980s when he was involved in a final project for his undergraduate psychology degree – the flag was the result of that project.

The colors of the flag — dark brown, orange/rust, gold, tan, white, gray and black — are meant to encompass the colors of animal bear fur around the world. While not necessarily referring to human skin color or hair color, the flag was designed with inclusivity in mind.

Final Thoughts on the Bear Flag

Personally, I love the paw print in the corner. I don’t know why. I just do. But I also love the diversity, inclusion, and bear culture that’s all here.

This is another reason why I love the LGBT universe. It’s a never-ending journey of discovery and education!

As for you, dear reader, would you like to add any other facts about Bear Flag in the comments so we can continue learning?