Gay men have long defined their types by categorising them into boxes. These can be jocks, twinks, daddies and more, but none of these categories are more prominent within the community than the bears and otters. These exist to define the types of hairy man that other gay men are attracted to. Whether you like your partner hairy or smooth shaven, talk of body hair is rampant in the gay community. Here at Dirty Minds Media, we are lovers of both, but we wanted to take a closer look into what makes bears and otters, and other hairy men so attractive to gay men and how body hair, and the attitudes towards it, have developed over the decades.
What Are Bears and Otters?
If you have had any connection to the gay community before, you may have heard of the categories that gay men tend to define their types by. One of the most renowned types is a bear. Bears are usually men that are 30 years old and above with a broad, heavier build. They are usually larger guys with a bit of extra weight on them. As the name may suggest, these men are typically very hairy and often have a lot of facial hair. Otters are the same as bears but the tend to be younger and leaner.
Let’s Look at The Facts
According to a recent study, over 58% of gay men like chest hair on a partner. This has supported previous findings that men like body hair because it’s more masculine. With over half surveyed saying they like a partner to have chest hair, we can assume it’s a big thing for gay men to either have it or be attracted to it on another man. The psychology suggests that body hair is a sign of manliness, and it is natural for gay men to be attracted to the more manly traits of another man. Many gay men have experiences within the community of body hair lovers, with one man surveyed saying men have stroked his chest hair in a club before and tried to pull on it.
The Evolution of The Gay Hairy Man
Body hair has been present in gay culture for many, many years. Most recently, we have seen it gain attention with people battling for shaving and for not shaving. Whilst women are often scrutinised and seen as dirty or unclean for not shaving, men are usually celebrated for it. The same isn’t said in the gay community however, as with the evolution of the types, each gay man has their own preference. There is often debate that the categorisation and the stereotypes that come along with it are incredibly harmful, however, some see it as a core part of gay culture.
Gay Men and Body Hair in the 70s and 80s
This was the time where body hair was in its prime. Hairy men would often walk shirtless at prides, sporting a natural look. The 1970’s was also the golden age for porn and the men in porn videos were very hairy. They have lots of chest hair and usually styled their facial hair into ridiculous moustaches. Body hair in this era was a signal of testosterone; it emphasised an individual’s masculinity. It also had connotations of being sexy due to the porn being produced.
Following on into the 80s, the natural body hair trend continued within the gay community. It also started to become an indicator of age; the less body hair the more youthful you were, the higher the body hair, the more mature and more of a man you were. The leather community thriving around this time were also known for their natural body hair and so championed this natural look. It wasn’t until the late 80s and early 90s that body hair attitudes in the gay community stared to change.
Gay Men and Body Hair in the 1990’s
The AIDs crisis in the late 80s bled into the 1990’s and many gay men came to associate body hair with cleanliness. People with AIDs often looked thin, with sunken faces and bodies. This led to a boom in gay men working out in order to build muscle and avoid a slender frame. Muscle became an indicator of health and clean shaven bodies also. Body hair faded into the background as many gay men sought to avoid it.
A Modern Day Outlook on Body Hair
Now, we are moving towards a more flexible view on body hair depending on personal preference. If you like being hairy, grow it out and flaunt it. If you like a smooth shaven look, go for that! There will be someone out there who loves your body and your body hair (or lack of), despite stereotypes. We have seen a massive surge in something called ‘manscaping’ which sees gay men taking more pride in the grooming of their body hair, shaping, and trimming it to make it appear tidier. Masculinity still has massive ties to body hair which can however, still present issues for those gay men who wish to present in a feminine way and still grow their body hair. Whilst we are a much more accepting society now, we still have a way to go.
Body Hair and Gay Men at Dirty Minds Media
At Dirty Minds Media, we are not fussy! We love smooth shaven bodies and hairy bears. The videos we have on our website show a range of different body types, hairy or not – we don’t discriminate. We know that you, our audience, want to see different things and that you all have your preferences. We aim to cater for all of these wherever we can and provide something to suit the tastes of everyone. Our porn is mainly cantered around feet, socks, and armpits, so if that is your fetish, you will love Dirty Minds Media.
What are you waiting for? Come and take a look at all the porn we have to offer. Who knows, you may awaken something within you!
