GaySexPedia: 7 Types of Gay Bears You Probably Don’t Know!

Did you know that there are different types of gay bears? Yep, it’s true! We’re not making it up.

According to scientific research, there are seven known species of gay bears within the world of gaydom.

Given the focus of this site and our love of hairy men, we thought it might be kind of fun to explore the various subcategories of gay bears to help expand your knowledge base.

Bear in mind (no pun intended) that not every photo will exactly match the subcategory. That’s because much of gay typology is subjective in nature.

Before continuing, it might be helpful to have a basic understanding of what a gay bear is?

Here’s the truth – there’s no universal definition. In fact, there tends to be a lot of disagreement on this because some people feel that to be a gay bear, one must have certain physical characteristics.

Other people think that being a gay bear is more about lifestyle factors (ex: outdoor activities).

And of course, there’s an entire group of folks who think it is a combination of the two.

So for what it’s worth, here is our working definition of a gay bear, synthesized from the literature. Take it for what it’s worth.

Definition of Gay Bear

A larger, heavier man who may be gay, bisexual or transsexual who projects a rugged, masculine persona.

Gay bears are often typed into different subcategories based on their hairiness, weight, age and ethnicity.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, let’s check out the seven different types of gay bears.

FYI: There are other divisions of gay bears/body types that can branch out from what’s listed here.

The fact is if we had to list them all, this post would never end.

We’ve pulled together what follows from the research paper cited earlier and from the book: Polari: The Lost Language of Gay Men.

You will also find some of these in Wikipedia. How many of these gay bear types did you know? Be sure to vote in the poll at the end.

Let’s jump right in!

1. Grizzly Bear

Grizzly bears are typically white and heavier. They can sometimes be older but not always.

2. Cubs

3. Polar Bear

This category is reserved for older men with greying or white hair. Polar bears are considered elders within the gay bear continuum. They are often very dominate.

4. Big Teddy Bears

To be considered a teddy bear, the person is usually heavy (sometimes bigger than a grizzly) and is covered with fur everywhere (chest, back, legs, buttocks, etc).

5. Muscle Bears

Muscle bears are men who are heavier but not obese and are hairy. Many guys who identify as muscle bears engage in strength training. They often have tattoos. Muscle bears are considered the most “fit” within the gay bear continuum.

6. Black Bear

To be considered a black bear, the individual needs to be a person of color. Typically, black bears are heavy. Hairy and non hairy included under this category.

7. Panda Bears

The subcategory of “Panda Bear” is reserved for men who are Asian, Native Indian or Pacific Islander. Like their bear brethren, most are heavy and hairy. Native Indians are often cross-typed as “Spirit Bears”
Other types of Gay Bears:

Brown Bear: Latino
Veggie Bear: Vegetarian
Red Bear: Man with red hair aka “Ginger bear”
Ewok: Midget bear
Sugar Bear: Effeminate gay bear