18 planet of the arts / spring 1998 IDENTITIES O @) O PROPHECIES FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM “Please go home." Sojourner IX witnesses the arrival of human explorers on Europa. A scout descends... EA zg . > 4 “No one down here. C'mon down!" Stereotypes ..continued from page 15 bar, one can then almost, in a sense, just advertise. They’re not playing the same role they play at work, or on the bus, or shopping (although some do dress using these codes anywhere). Without any qualms, one can say to anyone who can “read” him, some- thing like, “I’m out to get laid tonight and Id really like to see if I can fit your fist in my ass.” I’m only describing a very few gay men. Even then, I’m not brushing these men into a corner or pointing a fin- ger at them anyway. I actually admire someone who can be so at ease about this. It’s almost like seeing a kid wearing a Metallica t-shirt, and then acknowl- edging another kid wearing a Metallica t-shirt and saying, “Hey!” So when I see kids downtown dressed like Marilyn Manson with a dog collar around their neck, or a leather jacket with a big metal ring hang- ing from inside an epaulette, for instance, I can't help but think “You haven't got a bloody clue’, because chances are these people don’t know where these accessories came from or what they might be saying with them. So now, to any readers who haven't been, I’ve probably made gay bars sound really scary, like a roomful of sex-starved deviants ready to hunt you down. But you probably wouldn't notice anything but a high number of pierced ears if you went and I hadn't told you this. You might notice the variety in the crowd: from the twenty-somethings by the pool table, the semi- yuppie crowd (some- times referred to by gays as “clones”), the leather crowd, an older crowd, a still-older crowd, and in the quieter (in terms of noise) area of the pub you'll typically find the big new(er) thing in gay cliques: the “Bear” crowd. And this is usually where I end up, partly because you can actually talk, but more because I know some really interesting people in this corner. And because I find Bears most attractive. TO THE SHOWERS WITH US! Many people immediately associate homosexuality with feminine men or masculine women. So, what is a “Bear”? People “out there” actually bother debating this. First off, it’s typically physical appearance that sets a Bear apart from most. They are usually bigger, older, hairier men with facial hair among other traits. As a crowd, Bears would appear to be a hybrid between a sort of blue-collar worker type and leather man. Some would say that this Bear thing is actually a “movement”, because it’s about having a certain look that you don’t typically see portrayed as “attrac- tive”, and yet still feeling good about one’s own body. A hairy back can be regarded highly here. So in a way the young muscle-bound fashion model with the shaved chest is rejected as an accept- able standard of beauty. It’s as though some gay men had their own breakthrough in body image along the lines of Mattel’s new Barbie dolls that will have more realistic human proportions. This “non-clique” has quickly developed its own dress code and become another label. There have even been Bear clubs, pageants/contests for years all over North America, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere, and they attract peo- ple from all over the world. One of my friends has even held titles in two separate contests nationwide. But I doubt anyone hopped on board to actually adopt a Gloria Steinem sort of philosophy about empowerment. A lot of guys are simply attracted to these features and body types. Personally, I first found myself attracted before I even knew what “gay” meant, and others will tell you they’ve had similar experiences. I just wonder how much of a factor the “trend” aspect is in the popularity of Bears. I also suspect some of the attraction could be more of a distaste for appearing “femme”. But one thing’s for sure: even though it’s been a long, underground sort of battle for acceptance, more people can now rest assured knowing they’ve earned the right to be objectified. But I definitely don’t fit into this category of body type. As for age, ’'m twenty-four, way younger than most bears (or my partner, for that matter). So often, others are eager to label me a “Boy” for my interest in older men. I’ve never been comfortable with this, for obvious reasons, although I doubt any- one’s ever used the term as derogatory. The assump- tion is made that in being attracted to older men, ’'m looking for someone to fill a paternal role. It feels like 'm in a club, or playing a school yard game where everyone joins a team and the only aspect of identity that matters is whose side youre on. It’s said by some that the only thing homosexu- al men really have in common is that they are attracted by the same sex; that gay culture is an arti- fice. But to those who say gay culture doesn’t exist, Pd point out mainstream culture is equally, if not more so, an artifice and a construct. Gay culture is not about promiscuity or getting laid any more than mainstream society (just look at media). For a homosexual to arrive at the conclusion that his or her identity is homosexual is not something easy - it requires a lot of looking inward and preparedness for the reactions of others. It’s in many ways about seeing the world around you as not having an absolute meaning or interpretation that one person can comprehend, because there simply is no one interpretation. On many levels it’s about the act of interpretation. Id still say it’s true that it’s been divided in many ways from itself, and others. There remains a barrier, for instance, between gay men as a whole, and lesbians as a whole. It’s been suggested this barrier is held up by sexism on both sides, even when, as groups, there’s so much in common. But then again, there’s also so much in common between lesbians/gay/bisexuals/transsexuals and straight society, and yet we remain in fear and stig- matized. There are simply certain differences that separate people into groups; and maybe we like that because it’s comfortable to have things in common with those around us. We accept barriers because we can't really get to know everyone. We save time and energy by judging. oO) 18 planet of the arts / spring 1998 IDENTITIES YEAR 2OOO Protects For rhe new MILLENIUM Sojourner witnesses the aval of human ‘explores on Europa, A scout descends. Wo one down here. Cmon down!” Stereotypes bur, one can then almost, in a sense, jus advertise. ‘They're not paying the same role they play at work, ‘ron the bus, oF shopping (although some do dress using these codes anywhere). Without any qual, o anyone who can “ead” him, some 'm out to get aid tonight and Yd really like tose ican ft your fst in my ass” only ecribing a very fw gay mon. Even then, im not brushing these men into a corner or pointing a fin seat them anyway. actully admite someone who «an be oat eae about this I's almost ke seing 3 id wearing a Metlica tshirt, and then acknowl edging another kid wearing a Metlica tshirt and saying “Hey! So when 1 sce kids downtown dresed like Maryn Manson with a dog collar around their eck leather jacket with big metal ing hang ing from inside an epauete, for instance, I can't help but think “You havent gota bloody cue because chances are these people dont know where ‘these accesories came from or what they might be saying with the So now, to any readers who haven't been I've probably made gay bars sound realy scary lke @ roomful of sexstarved deviants ready to hunt you oven. But you probably wouldn't notice anything buta high numberof pierced ears ifyou went and I haat tld you this You might noice the varity in the crowd: from the tseenty-somethings by the poo! table, the semi: yuppie crowd (some times referred t by gays as “ones”, the leather crowd, an older crowds a sil older crowd, and in the quieter (in terms of noise) area ofthe pub youl typically find the big newer) thing in gay elques the “Beat” crowd. And this s usually where Tend up, pally because you ‘can actualy talk, but more because I know some relly interesting people in this comer. And because ind Bears mos attractive TO THE SHOWERS Many people immediately associate homosexuality with feminine men or masculine women. So, what is a “Bear”? People “out there” actually bother debating this. Firs off is ypialy physical appearance that sets Bear apart from most. They are usually bigger older, hairer men with facial hair among other traits. As crowd, Bears would appear to bea hybrid between a sort of blue-collar worker ‘ypeand leather man, Some would sy that this Bear thing is actually a “movement because is about having a certain look that you dont typically sce portrayed as “attrac tive and yet sl fing ‘good about ones own body. A hairy back ean be regarded highly here So in a way the young muscle-bound fashion model withthe shaved chests ejected asa accept the stndard of beauty. Ifs as though some gay ‘men had their own breakthrough in body image along the lines of Mattel’ new Barbie dlls that will have more elistic human proportions This“non-