Chub (gay culture)

Chub riding a motorbike

A chub is an overweight or obese gay man who identifies as being part of the related chubby culture. Although there is some overlap between chubs and bears, chubs have their own distinct subculture and community. There are bars, organizations and social events specifically catering to this subculture, which allows members of the community to socialize with each other and develop social networks.

In the last several years, large regional social events have developed. They often feature pageants much like beauty pageants but more sexual in attitude in which titles are given to winners, like "Mr. Chubby International" and "Mr. Chaser International". In the United States, there is an annual national event, Convergence, as well as several annual regional gatherings. There is also an annual event in Europe called European Big Men's Convergence. These events are held in different cities each year and are usually hosted by that city's local big men's organization.

Terminology

These definitions are general in nature; specific definitions may vary depending on the perspective of the individual.

• Chubby or chub – a large, overweight, or obese man
• Superchub – a chub who is extremely large
• Bear – a man with a stocky or heavyset build; typically hairy body and facial hair; sometimes older (or older looking) and displaying a masculine appearance and mannerisms
• Black Bear (gay slang) – a Black man with a stocky or heavyset build and typically hairy body and face.
• Brown Bear (gay slang) – a man of Hispanic, South Asian or Middle Eastern origin with a stocky or heavyset build and typically hairy body and face.
• Panda Bear (gay slang) – a man of East Asian origin with a stocky or heavyset build and typically hairy body and face.
• Polar Bear (gay slang) – an older man with a stocky or heavyset build; typically hairy body and grey, silver or white facial and body hair
• Daddy – an older man, sometimes a bear
• Cub – a younger version of a bear
• Chaser – a man who is of smaller body size and/or stature who is sexually or romantically attracted to chubs or bears. The term chaser is sometimes used in various communities to describe an outsider who is sexually attracted to people within the community
• Chub for chub (also referenced as chub4chub, internet shorthand) – a chub who is sexually or emotionally attracted to other chubby men
• Girth & Mirth – a widespread name for clubs of big men and their admirers
• Grizzly Adams – a man with a typically hairy body and face who does not self identify as a bear but is attracted to bears.
• Trapper – a man of smaller stature who is attracted to bears.
• Big Men's Club – another term used to define clubs and organizations for gay and bisexual men and their male admirers
• Otter – A gay man who is very hairy all over his body, but is smaller in frame and weighs considerably less than a bear.
• Naired Bear – A gay man whose body is hairless by shaving, depilation, or other method.

(The terms chubby chaser and daddy can also be found in use among heterosexuals, but for the purposes of this gay subculture are listed and defined as above.)

History

Ron Suresha's anthology "Bears On Bears" indicates that, while casual social networks for chubby men and chasers had long existed, the first organized social group in the United States, Girth & Mirth, formed in 1976 in San Francisco. The following year, a chapter was organized in Boston, and in 1978 the New York chapter started. Conventions were held in cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City as early as 1977 or 1978 with large numbers of chubbies and chasers attending. The first meeting to use the name Convergence in the United States was held in Seattle in 1986.^[1] Several chapters are now active across the United States, mostly in large and diverse cities.

See also

LGBT portal

• Bear (gay slang)
• Fat fetishism
• Samson (magazine)

References

1. ^ Suresha, Ron Jackson (2002). Bears On Bears: Interviews & Discussions. Alyson Publications. ISBN 1-55583-578-3