There was another article with similar, but VERY incomplete information that I had originally had posted here. However, the owner of that pitiful, incomplete information sent me a very nasty e-mail and threatened me if I did not take down HIS information. Therefore, I am rewriting that information with better information and with first-hand knowledge and keeping in the rest of MY input. So, if you happen to see ANY of this repeated anywhere else, please let me know quickly so that I can take immediate action against the offender. The thing is, I don't profit from ANY of this information! I just put this out to help you, my readers!
Men, mostly gay men, often use descriptive terms to identify and label other men within their community. For the purpose of this article when I say men, we will be referring to predominantly gay men only. You no doubt have heard some of these labels... bear, cub, wolf, otter, Daddy, Master, and so forth, but many men wonder to themselves, and have asked me, what do these terms mean?
There have been many times that I have been approached by friends and fans who ask, "What am I? A cub or a Bear? You say you are a wolf so what is heck is a wolf? Can I be a boy and a cub?”
Most of my research was done from first-hand knowledge of being in the Bear, Leather, and Gay community and being around most, if not all, of the body types. Any others, albeit a very few, that I wasn't sure about, I checked with many gay community web sites, as well as sites devoted to those "body types" I was looking for.
Unlike the "other author," who will remain nameless, I will not use photos of celebrities as examples, nor pictures of animals as examples for each category. In fact, I will not use any photos at all. That way I cannot be accused of using copyrighted material like he did. Besides, quite a few of his examples crossed too many different categories. Also, I am including as many categories as I can and not a "select" few like he did. Sorry if I sound a tad bitter, but the guy really pissed me off! I'm just trying to pass good information to you guys.
So, let us begin:
Cub – a younger (or younger-looking) version of a bear, typically, but not always, with a smaller frame. The term is sometimes used to imply the passive partner in a relationship.
Ewok – A bear of short stature, but not younger, that is often highly intelligent yet sexually inadequate.
Otter – A gay man who is very hairy all over his body, but is smaller in frame and weighs considerably less than a bear.
Chaser – Somebody who is attracted to bears and/or chubs but is not necessarily part of the bear culture.
Chub – In gay circles, "chub" means a group of heavyset, obese, and simply put..chubby men! a gay man that is a chub can also be a bear..the two subculture stereotypes are mixed in many instances. Many nightclubs cater to events aimed strictly at chubs and/or bears. Chub as a term is more oft used with gay people as opposed to the heterosexual chubby chaser societies which are part of all humanity and all colors. With heterosexuals connotations and terms change somewhat and there are of course abbreviations: BHM.. Big Handsome Man, BBW..Big Beautiful Woman, etc.
Wolf – A muscular hairy man with facial hair, predatory by nature, more lean than a bear and more muscular than an otter. Wolfs are often found in the social company of bears and otters, with the behavioral characteristic of sexual assertiveness or aggression.
Puma – A stockier, hairy man, usually with facial hair and alluring eyes. Adaptable, secretive and largely solitary in nature, the Puma is properly considered a nocturnal hunter of men. Even though he can be wild sexually, once you get him in a comfortable, domesticated environment he will adapt accordingly. They like smelling a man who is earthy, which is why they are more comfortable outdoors. They like to smell natural and feel the heat of their body next to anothers.
Bear — The most common definition of a "bear" is a man who is hairy, has facial hair, and a cuddly body. However, the word "Bear" means many things to different people, even within the bear movement. Many men who do not have one or all of these characteristics define themselves as bears, making the term a very loose one. Suffice it to say, "bear" is often defined as more of an attitude than anything else - a sense of comfort with our natural masculinity and bodies that is not slavish to the vogues of male attractiveness that is so common in gay circles and the culture at large.
Bear Subtypes: •Muscle Bear: A bear whose size derives from muscle rather than body fat. A hairy (esp. chest)ed gay man, usually of middle years or more, who is well-muscled or well defined ("cut")usually from body-building or progressive-resistance gym work, with visible attributes such as forearm "guns" or "six-pack abs." More generally, any hairy-chested mature (usually but not definitively) gay male who is at least somewhat physically fit, especially one who presents an imposing or dominant presence. Facial hair and a blue-collar look such as the cliche plaid lumberjack shirt add to the image. A muscle bear is a a gay man of large muscular stature, yet not obese. He is very proud of his masculinity and tries his hardest not to wear his heart on his sleeve or do anything that could be perceived as feminine or culturally gay. •Polar Bear: An older bear whose facial and body hair is predominantly or entirely white or grey. •Black Bear: A bear of African/African-American descent. •Koala Bear: A bear of Australian descent. •Grizzly Bear: A dominant bear of extreme stature in height, weight, and/or hairiness. •Panda Bear: A bear of Asian descent. •Teddy Bear: A fully hairy bear. Chest, back, beard, everything is hairy. A fat guy with a cute face and sweet personality. Huggable and Cuddly. •Sugar Bear: Feminine acting bears that are sometimes shunned by the more masculine bears within the community. •Manatee: A hairless, chubby male who is called a bear but usually does not identify as such. •Ursala: Only in the gay culture, she is a heavy set masculine and rugged lesbian woman, like the female equivalent to a bear. •Goldilocks: A straight woman who is friendly with bears. A woman who prefers the company of, generally, fat, hairy, gay men. A fag-hag for bears. •Sugar Cub: Feminine acting cubs that are sometimes shunned by the more masculine bears and cubs within the community.
Bull — In any homosexual or lesbian relationship, the partner who acts more aggressive and/or more masculine than the other. It can also refer to someone who is massive in muscular size, as in a power-lifter.
Bitch — In any homosexual or lesbian relationship, the partner who is perceived as more passive and feminine, is often called the bitch.
Twink — An attractive, boyish-looking, young gay man. The stereotypical twink is 18-22, slender with little or no body hair (he may shave whatever hair he may have), often blonde, dresses in club wear even at 10:00 AM, and is not particularly intelligent. A twink is the gay answer to the blonde bimbo cheerleader.
Twunk — A homosexual term used to describe a young man (usually between 18-25) that has the face of a twink, with the physique of a hunk. Usually a twunk's body is not as "ripped" as a "hunk", but if they went to the gym, the twunk could have the body of a hunk. Also, an old worn out twink. Also, can be between the ages of 28-40 that has premature aging (leathery skin) from excessive use of tanning beds and has an orangey glow. He still shaves or waxes his entire body in an attempt to appear youthful. His eyebrows are usually arched and thin much like a woman's. Often twunks still shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle, and Hollister and wear too tight neon polos and destroyed jeans. Twunks sometimes get Botox and other plastic surgery that often feminizes their features. Twunks are known to lie about their age and act like a 16 year old in order to get "in" with younger guys. Much like a twink they will also act like a drama queen/child if their attempts to hit on you fail. Twunks usually hang out with young gay boys usually 16-20. Which is the their age limit for friends, hookups, or boyfriends.
Tweaker — A tweaker is someone very high on crystal meth. Tweakers can have sex with their partners for days at a time. They love to clean, organize, pace, etc.. Tweakers can never sit still and can only focus on one thing at a time, and usually that involves having as much sex as they can.
Jock — A jock is a young male whose entire life revolves around proving that he is superior to everyone else, hence, the involvement in competitive sports. Jocks are trained/taught to trample on other people without feeling any remorse. Some females can be jocks, too. The important thing is NOT that they are actually good at sports, but that they earnestly believe that they are good and superior and that they act that way. They, of course, have their click of friends (as many as possible) who they do acknowledge as nearly their equals, but anybody else is dirt beneath their feet and not worthy to even speak to them. You see them everywhere. Some stop being jocks after high school, when they find out they really weren't that great after all, even in their chosen sport. Others remain jocks throughout state college, community college, or whatever. Some remain jocks into their thirties and beyond. By then, it has nothing to do with sports. It's all in the attitude as, of course, it always was.
Gym Bunny — A Gym Bunny is someone who spends large amounts of time working out for the sole purpose of 'looking ripped'. Can be male or female, always extremely vain and superficial. Prevalent in California, which should come as no surprise since this state is a magnet for all the nation's nut-jobs and screw-ups. The difference between a gym bunny and someone who just works out a lot is the latter exercises to be able to do physical stuff like move heavy objects on a regular basis, whereas the gym bunny does it exclusively for visual reasons and probably couldn't do anything with those perfectly toned muscles if they had to. Three ways to tell if someone is a gym bunny: 1. They're amazingly well-sculpted but still seem unable to do anything involving physical labor. 2. Often talk with friends about how much time they spend at the gym and overtly cut meetings and social events short because they have to get to the gym. 3. Act as if their physical fitness by itself makes them better than others.
Gym Rats — A Gym Rat is one who spends entirely too much time partaking in muscle building, strength training, cardiovascular, and/or aerobic activity. Specifically, one who does so at a health club or gym. Often used derogatorily, some self-proclaimed gym rats use the term as a status symbol or for positive reinforcement. Gym Rats are all about building muscle on and aspiring to becoming a Bull.
Daddy — Daddy in gay culture is a slang term meaning an older man sexually involved in a relationship or having a sexual interest in a younger man. The age gap may differ, but the relationship involves the traditional parental hierarchy of father-son dynamics, the daddy providing emotional support and guidance along with sexual encouragement and nurturing to the inexperienced and vulnerable partner. A Daddy is not only a lover, but also a best friend and nurturing authority figure.
A Daddy makes you feel safe and protected. A Daddy teaches and inspires you to be your best. He is the kind of man that you want to please and should never abuse, mistreat or take for granted. A Daddy is patient, kind, wise, strong, sweet, funny, sexy, intelligent, caring, respectful, mysterious, gentle, curious, loving and an all around amazing one of a kind man the kind of man you dream is your soul mate. He is the kind of man worth fighting for, worth trying for, worth waiting for. A Daddy is there for you the best way that he can be, even when he can't be there for you and when he leaves a Daddy never goes away for long. A Daddy will always come back home. The letter "D" is always upper case to show the Daddy's dominant authority in the relationship.
Boy — A boy is a younger male man, generally in the age group of 18 to 24, that leads to a sexual relationship with an older male. An intergenerational relationship between legal adults males, that is sexual in nature. The letter "b" is generally lower cased to show the boy's lesser authority in the relationship.
Daddy/boy Relationship — Daddy/boy relationships are intergenerational relationships; a relationship where one person prefers a love partner much older than himself, and the other person prefers a love partner much younger. In the S/M and leather community, the term "boy" usually translates into "bottom," but not always. "Bottom," in anal intercourse the man who is penetrated, the term has no relationship to the age of the person, it is not uncommon for a boy in the relationship to be older than his partner. A top’s "son" could be old enough to be partner to his father.
Pup or Puppy — A hopelessly cute homosexual boy of a cuddly nature; not to be confused with a cub or a twink. A young man, usually, but not always, no older than in their 20’s, because they are still trainable. Sometimes they take on the role as an actual dog and are led around on all fours and on a leash like a real dog.
Master/Mistress — Master or Mistress is one of the honorifics some people use to describe the dominant partner or "owner" in a Master/slave relationship. Because it is an honorific of the dominant form it is usual for it to be written with a capital letter. The term "Master" can be gender-independent but is mostly used only in reference to males. There is otherwise no male-specific equivalent. The female equivalent is "Mistress" or possibly Dominatrix. Although the Master is understood to have authority over the slave in some sense, this never extends to one's legal rights and thus there must always be an implicit element of consent involved.
Slave — Slave is a specific type of a submissive. The Master/slave relationship refers to the relationship between the individuals involved, and does not necessarily require any specific acts, sexual or otherwise, though sexual activity is usually an aspect of the relationship. The sexual aspect could be conventional, and not necessarily BDSM. A slave could also be a masochist or bottom, but this is not always the case. Some participants regard the relationship as sexual role play, while others enter into the relationship on the basis of a highly committed, long-term, submissive lifestyle. Some practitioners feel the difference between submissive and slave is the degree of submission. However, many who are involved in Master/slave relationships see the difference as being conceptual. For example, some slaves may not have a naturally submissive personality, but choose to surrender their will and volition to another.
Master/slave or Mistress/slave Relationship — Master/slave or Mistress/slave relationship is one in which the individual (the submissive) gives to another (the dominant) ultimate authority over them. It is a form of dominance and submission. The participants may be of any gender or sexual orientation. The relationship is structured in terms of slavery, because of the association of the term with ownership of the slave and the rights of a Master to their body, as property or chattel. The dominant is often called Master if male, or Mistress if female. The Owner/slave relationship is entered into on a consensual basis, without the legal force of historical or modern non-consensual slavery, which is forbidden by the laws of most countries.
Safe Word — Safe Word is a signal that a submissive uses to communicate with his or her dominant partner about the scene while it's in progress. Safe Words can communicate that a limit is being neared (e.g. "yellow") or that a limit has been reached (e.g. "red"). Safe Words are often negotiated before the scene (although saying "safe word" is usually recognized as a safe word). In some cases, safe words are used to completely stop the scene. Accepting more risk, a submissive may agree to forgo a safe word, consenting to edge play, an extreme form of submission.