The International Bear Brotherhood Flag was engineered to represent the bear subculture within the LGBT community. The colors of the flag are meant to include the colors of the furs of animal bears throughout the world, not necessarily referring to human skin and hair color tones: Obscure brown, orange/rust, golden yellow, tan, white, gray, and black.
The flag was designed with inclusion in mind. The gay bear identity celebrates secondary sex characteristics such as growth of body hair and facial hair, which is typically considered a "bear" trait.
Craig Byrnes created the Bear celebration flag in
Byrnes' undergraduate degree in psychology involved designing a senior project about the bear culture that has exploded since the first s, of which he had first-hand experience. He thought it might be fitting to design a flag that would foremost represent the bear society and include it with the results of his research. To do this, he received help from another influential
Nestled within the vibrant tapestry of LGBTQIA+ pride flags lies a unique emblem of strength and inclusivity: the Bear Brotherhood flag. But what exactly does this fuzzy icon portray, and how did it come to be? Let&#;s embark on a fur-ocious journey into the essence behind this powerful symbol, available right here at Rainbow Republic!
A Brotherhood by Design:
Crafted in by the visionary Craig Byrnes, the Bear Brotherhood flag celebrates the &#;bear&#; subculture within the wider LGBTQIA+ people. Bears are typically characterized by their larger stature, body hair, and accept of traditionally masculine traits. But the beauty of this flag lies in its inclusivity. Unlike some flags depicting human skin tones, the Bear Brotherhood flag focuses on the diverse fur colors of bears themselves!
A Palette of Fur-bulous Meaning:
Earthy Browns: Representing the rich hues of grizzly and black bears, these shades symbolize strength, grounding, and a connection to nature.
Warm Oranges and Golds: Evoking the radiant coats of sun bears and lions,
My BF is a bartender at a gay lock (he’s bi, so he finds all the attention flattering rather than oogy). The bar itself is actually 2 bars, a queer bar in front and a unbent bar in the back. Now, it used to be reversed, and the straight bar was up front, and was also a package liquor store.
I was hanging out there one date (all his regulars think I’m his lesbian roommate, he gets better tips if they reflect he’s single and totally gay. Worst part- they all guessed the “lesbian” part without him telling them. Does wonders for my self-esteem :rolleyes: ) when 2 guys walked in, looked around confused, and asked the BF where the liquor store was. He replied “Next door in the direct bar.” All of the regulars in both bars grasp that there’s the gay bar and the straight prevent, so referring to the other prevent as the unbent bar is normal. The two guys start to stroll next door, snickering “I guess this must be the snort gay bar.”
He told me of another guy, a jerkish redneck type who started to sense the gaiety and get uncomfor
Mary Baldwin alumnus Craig Byrnes used his time at MBU to work with the Gay Bear community, and he gave advocate with a flag.
There exists a common misconception that men did not study at Mary Baldwin University (then college) before the institution went co-ed in In fact, men have been earning credits and degrees at Mary Baldwin since the s, when the Adult Degree Program (ADP) started providing an opportunity for higher education to the broader community.
Craig Byrnes is proof that men did not only examine at Mary Baldwin – they did groundbreaking, necessary, and meaningful work as an extension of their ambition in the classroom.
Byrnes came to Mary Baldwin from Virginia Beach in While studying psychology through ADP, he worked at the Staunton McDonald’s.
For his degree, Byrnes knew he wanted to research the Bear Group – a growing subculture in the broader gay community and a group that Byrnes identified as a part of.
Defining a Bear can be a tricky task, since everyone in the community is welcome to determine themselves as they please. The community formed sometime in the s