Aye Be Arrrrrrr!!
So International Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco has come to an end. It's a real drag to see IBR end because it's goddamn fun, but also because it was a nice "Fuck You" from a group of men who were mostly marginalized from society at large, and then displaced to a culture that patronized their relevance.
The things that made Bear Rendezvous important when it began remained intact throughout its run, though it's purpose changed as the "bear" culture became more aware of itself. Early on, IBR could be thought of as one enormous therapy session or a "safe place" to share feelings, when having a "BEAR Magazine" sticker on your car carried the same impact as an "I'm A Friend Of Bill W" for someone. It was all part of the way you connected with others without shame ....and a little less fear. It's not fun being ridiculed for saying "I'm a gay man" but it's also not fun being ridiculed by *gay men* for saying "I'd fuck Grizzly Adams". There was such a confessional process to it all and things like IBR provided absolution. Now, it's not such a dark adventure, I mean what you can do on Scruff in 15 minutes used to take like 6 weeks in the olden days (which was not even 20 years ago).
It went from a group, to a party, to a gathering, to an event, and then on into a tradition. A destination for some, and an institution for San Francisco (which is gonna cost us yet more bragging rights). I wonder if calling it "International" Bear Rendezvous was initially kind of meant to be sarcastic. Anyhow, I would like to thank the BOSF and all the guys involved year after year, you guys made history!
me, I just wore a dress, sang off key, it seems to make people smile
....sometimes I'd get you drunk, then after I molested you I'd say ...."Happy IBR!!"
The Fat Bottom Girls for the IBR kickoff last Thrs
The things that made Bear Rendezvous important when it began remained intact throughout its run, though it's purpose changed as the "bear" culture became more aware of itself. Early on, IBR could be thought of as one enormous therapy session or a "safe place" to share feelings, when having a "BEAR Magazine" sticker on your car carried the same impact as an "I'm A Friend Of Bill W" for someone. It was all part of the way you connected with others without shame ....and a little less fear. It's not fun being ridiculed for saying "I'm a gay man" but it's also not fun being ridiculed by *gay men* for saying "I'd fuck Grizzly Adams". There was such a confessional process to it all and things like IBR provided absolution. Now, it's not such a dark adventure, I mean what you can do on Scruff in 15 minutes used to take like 6 weeks in the olden days (which was not even 20 years ago).
It went from a group, to a party, to a gathering, to an event, and then on into a tradition. A destination for some, and an institution for San Francisco (which is gonna cost us yet more bragging rights). I wonder if calling it "International" Bear Rendezvous was initially kind of meant to be sarcastic. Anyhow, I would like to thank the BOSF and all the guys involved year after year, you guys made history!
me, I just wore a dress, sang off key, it seems to make people smile
....sometimes I'd get you drunk, then after I molested you I'd say ...."Happy IBR!!"
The Fat Bottom Girls for the IBR kickoff last Thrs