Grrr!

My older brother, who was once the epitome of the "really good looking gay guy" that all of my friends wished was straight, has somehow evolved into a full on "bear". I didn't know what a bear was a few months ago, but apparently it's either a muscular, ultra masculine gay man or what a gay man becomes after they have put on some weight and cease shaving all together, thus resembling the aforementioned woodland animal. (Kevin Smith is a good visual reference. If he switched teams, he could easily pass as one.)

I guess it's all the rage with his gay friends in Columbus, Ohio because they've all adopted this look and they all look exactly the same. (He sent me a Christmas card with a photo of himself sitting on a friend's lap and I couldn't tell which one was him.) I understand the power of group solidarity but wouldn't you still want to retain your own uniqueness? He was always such a leader...

Well, I guess he still is in a way as he's gone and entered himself in a Bear contest at one of the new bars downtown. He insists that it was his friends who pushed him into it but I don't think they had to try too hard. As a middle child suffering from Jan Brady syndrome, I think he secretly likes to be the center of attention. I just can't imagine what this contest would entail though. Is the winner the one with the thickest, most lumberjackesque beard? Or is it the guy who looks like he's consumed the most honey, racked up the most hours of sleep, and has the most intimidating growl? Maybe it's the contestant with the best decorated cave. C. would win that category hands down.

Whatever the criteria, I just hope his dignity is still intact at 2 in the morning. I've been to a few of the gay clubs with him and some of the men must get too hot while dancing because it's not uncommon to be surrounded by a bunch who have decided to pitch their shirts or don a pair of assless leather chaps. Now that I think about it, most of them were pretty "hot" but my brother doesn't have to resort to such gratuitous tactics to stand out in a crowd. Moreover, C. has more respect for himself than that, or at least I hope so. Alcohol can be quite a powerful social lubricant.