“I have helped to bring MASSBearz to the frontlines of the LGBTQ community by helping to coordinate the group walking in the Boston Pride Parade … the first ever appearance in the Providence Nighttime Pride Parade this past June,” said Stephen Hogan Jr., Mr. The title and competition, together with MASSBEARZ, promotes community pride.” He can create and/or assist with events throughout the bear and gay communities.
Boston Bear titleholder earns the opportunity to represent our community, as well as MASSBEARZ. MASSBEARZ provides the means, the sponsorship and planning for the annual competition. Boston Bear, as a title holder, is a person chosen to take a leadership role in the Bear Community, with assistance as needed by MASSBEARZ,” Zirpolo said. The synergy created between duties of the winner of the competition and other community-based organizations revolves ten-fold. The event employs four basic elements that include interviews, introductions, brawn and public speaking.” “This is a foundation that unites and builds a strong community. “The event is always fun and creative,” he said. “These activities are for the Greater Boston gay community, extending across the state and throughout all of New England, promoting brotherhood for our members, and inclusivity of other bear clubs and bear events.”ĭue to local interest of a revived “Bear Competition,” missing since 2007, a primary goal during the organization’s formation was to bring it back to the Boston area, explained Zirpolo. “Our mission is to hold activities and events as suggested and desired by the group’s members overseen by The Planning Committee,” Zirpolo added. Most identify themselves as bears, cubs, chubs, otters, chasers, or admirers-young or old-but there are no set ‘standards’ for these types of men.
“It is comprised of those who either a lot of fur (hair) to those who are smooth (hairless). “Having diverse characteristics, the Bear Community can be considered a common thread, which is interwoven with other groups, who can be distinctly different from one another,” he explained.
intends to be a ‘member’s group,’ operating very differently from prior organizations.”Īccording to Brad Chapman, also co-founder of the group, the Bear Community includes a wide spectrum of men that identify themselves in many different ways. We hope MASSBEARZ remains inclusive of all. Mass Bay Bears formed from the residual elements from the NEB, but lasted for about 2 years. “That group thrived for many years, enjoying huge success, but disbanded due to many struggles in 2005. “The New England Bears (NEB) had formed in 1991, at the beginning of the bear culture phenomenon that was sweeping the country,” said M. Established in 2011, the newly formed organization sought to fill a void that defunct bear groups left behind, according to the organization’s co-founder. MASSBEARZ is an all-inclusive Boston-based social and charitable organization dedicated to re-incarnate the fraternal spirit amongst the Greater Boston Bear Community. This sub-culture is one of many in the LGBT spectrum, a community that often does not get the recognition it deserves. Photo by: Glenn Koetzner/The Rainbow TimesīOSTON, Mass.-Bear, cub, chub, otter, chaser, or admirers are just some of the various identities commonly used to refer to members in the Bear Community. Boston Bear Competition 2012 took place last month, and the MASSBEARZ pose for our lens.