It has been theorized that gay otters are an offshoot of gay bears; a term that is linked to a 1970 article appearing in the Advocate entitled: Who’s in the Zoo? Sex, “They’ve become more sexually adventurous and experienced. I’m a slender gender-bender.”. Most have hair covering the torso to varying degrees. Otters look similar to what you might call the “guy next door” type. However, there are some key differences between wolves and otters. “They’ve become more sexually adventurous and experienced. Not wanting this group to feel left out, Gay Pop Buzz also created a flag for them in 2015. All Rights Reserved. In the early 1990’s, “otter” had become popularized with wide spread use. In the wider gay male community, there exists a plethora of myths associated with gay otters. Our guide to twinks –  the most hyper-sexualised gay tribe, guide to bears – the  gay tribe for big, hairy, hunky men. An otter is like “the guy next door,” but with an edge. The rationale behind the otter label is fairly simple. Why Does a Man Wearing a Dress Scare the Hell Out of People? You will usually see a bear paw print on the upper left corner. It was authored by George Mazzei. Gay otters are adorable and often very playful. And if you already classify yourself as an “otter type” or want to deepen your insight about this type of male, this guide is for you! If you’ve never heard of the term, gay otter, we’re going to define it for you. When a lot of otters get older, they may well become bears ‘physically,’ even if they don’t prescribe to the bear community or go to bear events. It is for this reason that within the gay-o-sphere, otters represent the largest group of gay men. Others are borne from a place of ignorance. Otters are not born “otters”. I’ve never really understood that personally. “Wolves” are often hairy but lean and muscular. Here are some of the “biggies” that seem to heavily circulate. As there’s a lot of disagreement on what it actually means to be an otter, we’ve tried to clear things up…. Gay otters differ from their gay wolf relatives in that wolves are typically more muscular. However, I’ve also had partners who would be classed as twinks as well as proper fully-fledged daddies. “I do personally find guys with a bit of scruff to be more attractive – it’s just personal taste. Also according to Scruff, an Otter is “a typically thinner, hairier Gay man,” and, in contrast, a Twink as “a typically younger, thinner, Gay man with little or no body hair.” Because Gay men assume and expect certain gender expressions and sexual behaviors related to these identities, pressure is put on men to conform to all of their categories “standards” or “norms.” Remember, none are true. This despite their large numbers within the gay male community. It has a multi-color scheme made up of browns, tans, blacks, whites and grays. Many do but it is not a required characteristic for this classification. The term “otter” is a slang expression for a slim, hairy gay man; a person with a bigger body mass, but who is similarly hairy is called a bear. The ‘masculine aesthetic’ part isn’t key to otterness. Since masculinity is a marker of both typologies, gay otters are considered manly. LGBT slang, LGBT speak, or gay slang is a set of slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBT people. As we wrap things up, we thought it might be fun to publish a poll on gay otters. A cisgender male, with a traditionally masculine aesthetic, someone who has an ‘average’ level of body hair, a bit of scruff, fluff, fur, whatever you’d like to call it. As we age, our body hair gradually turns from colored shades to white. Bears are one of the many LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity. That changed in 2015 when one was created one for them, inspired by the traditional bear flag since wolves are considered offshoots. It’s critical to bear in mind that not all otters wear facial hair. No. I prefer to think of my build as slender anyways though. The gay slang term ‘beard’ can be thought of in much the same way since in this case, a woman is used as … Gay Otter: A man with think or thickish athletic build that usually has lots of body hair. Look for posts on science, dating, relationships, and culture. He says: “Some people see it as a slimmer variation of the bear community, but in practice it seems to be as much about style and aesthetic as the body itself. The best known and most easily recognizable is the bear flag. While not universal, many otters: Keep in mind that otters are an offshoot of the gay bear community and cousins with wolves. Based in Los Angeles, MJ is a journalist and blogger who covers the LGBTQ community. Gay Polish Couple Gets Marriage Green Light Thanks to Haters, Despite Real Danger, Two Gay Military Soliders Find Love, Men's Variety Copyright 2020. An otter is lean and hairy. When it comes to gay otters, what's your favorite activity: Should Straight Actors Stop Playing Gay Roles? LGBTQ Twitter Takes Over the Proud Boys Hashtag, Need Data To Fight Bi Erasure? Is it in the size of your waist or is it your age after all? gay tribes, Characteristically, you will see otters wearing: When assessing for a man’s otter features, it’s important to not only examine his physical features traits but also his behavioral mannerisms. FYI: By definition, all wolves must facial hair. I’ve never really understood that personally. Lots of men grow old and maybe get a bit broader around the waist, but where is the threshold between being an otter and a bear? twink, Enter your email to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories, We spoke to Josh Olsen, a self-proclaimed otter who started the. Many then remain in this classification for years or transform into wolves or bears. Some otters also have hair on the arms, back and butt. Body-wise, “bears” are typically large and hairy. This New Study Wants To Help, Often has butt hair unless removed by shaving. If you consider yourself an otter, it is important that you partake in certain hygiene focused activities involving body hair and skin. However, in San Francisco during the 1970s, any hairy man of whatever shape was referred to as a 'bear' until the term was appropriated by larger men, and other words had to be used to describe hairy other-shaped men such as otter (slim), cub (young bear on the way), or wolf (hairy, medium build). Gay otters can be of any age, usually starting from mid-20’s to later adulthood. Gay otters represent one of the largest swath of men within the gay classification system. Anyways, I’m classed as an otter and I can’t even swim properly, so that’s really funny.” Gay otters differ from their gay wolf relatives in that wolves are typically more muscular. We hope you enjoyed reading our ultimate guide to gay otters. FYI: There are smoothish otters, which commonly is a result of trimming hair through manscaping with a body groomer. “Being an otter is, somehow, entirely a phase. G Digital. They usually start out as some form of a pup and may briefly pass through a gay twink phase. Gay Otter: A man with think or thickish athletic build that usually has lots of body hair. See below. In the middle, you have “otters”, which are hairy but not super built but athletic. The choice is obviously up to you. Some came about because of confusion. “Otters are the guy next door that has grown up a bit. That’s because this body type directly borrows from north American otters who are known for this trait. How To Celebrate The Holidays During COVID-19. With hairy features that give off a magnetic vibe, they are hard to ignore. And because we suspect that mostly otter-like men will partake in this poll, the results may be somewhat skewed. On my body it’s all very ‘au naturel.’ I don’t spend so much time grooming and that’s absolutely perfect for me.”, More: Furthermore, the fact that they’re no longer pruning their body hair to such an extent may imply that they’re just more comfortable in their own skin, in their own body and with their personal level of hairiness.”, But isn’t that a bear? In recent years, there’s been a movement to buck the entire trimming thing and simply go natural. Identifying as gender-queer, MJ focuses on topics that touch on a variety of life issues impacting men, women and non-binary individuals. having or showing a dislike of or prejudice against LGBT people, created by Sam Collins The exact etiology of this affectionate gay classification name remains unclear. Please read our gay lingo post to learn more. Sign up for our newsletter. bear, What it means to be an otter, an emerging tribe for gay men, is rather open to debate. Related: Gay wolves defined with characteristics. It seems that a lot of guys could be seen as otters, whether they identify as one or not. Typically, this hair covers various parts of the torso, including the chest and stomach. What it means to be an otter, an emerging tribe for gay men, is rather open to debate. otter, We recognize that some people within the LGBTQ spectrum find the use of labels to be distasteful. The posters, released this week as we head into Pride season, celebrate the recent Supreme Court decision on DOMA. They can be of any racial or ethnic background. Astonishingly, otters had no flag either. Lots of men grow old and maybe get a bit broader around the waist, but where is the threshold between being an otter and a bear? Until recently, wolves didn’t have a flag. Part of what makes an otter and otter, at least in gaydom, is his playful personality. Meaning: Someone married to a gay person as a cover up Explanation: A beard is an accessory often used to emphasise a man’s masculinity. Some have short facial stubble (one-day growth). Have angular faces with defining features. Because the defining feature of gay otters is body hair, it can be difficult to determine classification simply by looking at them. As time goes on, they evolve into otters. Hold on (you may be thinking)… isn’t that a lot of guys? 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