Chubby, Hairy and Fearless. Subcultural Identities and Predictors of Self-Esteem in a Sample of Polish Members of Bear Community

Abstract

Bear subculture exists within a larger gay community, which has been recognized by public health experts as disproportionately burdened with stigma and related health adversities. Bears are distinguished by a particular body look—body hirsuteness and heavy-set physique. Previous research documented the various health risks, and the exposure to both sexual minority and weight stigma, of this population. In this study we focused on the determinants of self-esteem in Bears. We explored the significance of such predictors as: perceived sexual minority and weight stigma, age, resilience, and physique as reflected by the BMI. Our sample consisted of 60 men from the Polish Bear community (i.e., Bears, Cubs, Otters, Wolves). Linear regression models were performed for the entire sample (N = 60) and for Bear-identified men (N = 31). Perceived sexual minority stigma negatively, and resilience positively, predicted self-esteem. In the case of Bear-identified men, age, perceived exposure to weight discrimination, and BMI were also significant predictors of self-esteem. Higher BMI in the case of Bear-identified men predicted higher self-esteem. Our results suggest that although Bear-identified men are characterized by their similarities to other gay men, subcultural identities create unique social contexts that are important for health and health interventions in this population.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Bears and Other Gay Men: A Descriptive Study from Poland

“…Interestingly, among Bear-identified men, higher BMI positively predicted self-esteem, which suggests that claiming Bear identity may inspire a change in self-perception and resistance toward dominant cultural body ideals [19]. Qualitative studies also indicate that Bears greatly benefit from becoming a part of an accepting and supporting community, which contributes to increased self-acceptance, enhanced sense of belonging, and strengthened individual resilience [20,26].…”

“…Perhaps the most consistently reported characteristic of Bears, which has been associated in the literature with CVD risk, is increased body weight and related increased body mass index [19,24,25]. Significantly increased body mass index (BMI) values relative to other sexual minority men and/or mean BMI values in a general population indicative of obesity have been observed among both older and younger men from this community (the latter are called Cubs) and Bears living in various sociocultural contexts (i.e., Chinese, Australian, and Polish Bears) [19,24,25]. This disparity is also related to another source of increased CVD risk, which is greater exposure to psychosocial stress.…”

“…This disparity is also related to another source of increased CVD risk, which is greater exposure to psychosocial stress. In the case of Bears, greater psychosocial stress, as compared to other sexual minority men, results from exposure to not only sexual minority stigma but also weight stigma, which both may contribute to decreased well-being and increased prevalence of mental health adversities in this population [19,21,23,26]. For example, in a study by Mijas et al [19], both exposure to weight stigma and sexual minority stigma negatively predicted self-esteem among men who self-identified as Bears.…”

“…However, the population of sexual minority men is far from homogenous and includes various subgroups and subcultures, which are distinguished by a unique constellation of practices and preferences important for general and cardiovascular health [17][18][19]. One such subculture includes sexual minority men who identify as Bears.…”

“…One such subculture includes sexual minority men who identify as Bears. Although the Bear subculture originated in the US approximately four decades ago, it has spread all over the world, and organizations of men who identify as Bears exist also in Poland [19]. According to the literature, one in every five sexual minority men may identify as a member of the Bear community [17].…”