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Contact CU Independent Opinion Staff Writer Max Sendor at maxwell.sendor@colorado.edu.
The LGBTQ community has many identities by which people can identify themselves. Over time, the acronym continues to grow larger as people characterize themselves using more specific sub-identities. Within each branch — whether it’s gay men, trans people or another group — the further you go into these communities, the more you see diversity in how people identify.
While some LGBTQ identities are a core part of who a person is, others are more surface-level and do little more than define a more niche community. Some of these have strong subcultures, and some are less important to the people who fit them. If you fit one of these, it’s not good or bad, it’s just another way to look at yourself; it should not matter where you fall personally.
Without further ado, here are some of the subcultures and types of guys in the gay community:
The first, and most common in my age demographic, is the twink. They are typically late teens to mid-twenties, have little to no body hair and are skinny. Often, they are more self-involved, assuming the world revolves around them. They also tend to be more effeminate and thrive on the idea that they are young.
The next common subculture is the bear. These tend to be older guys who are hairy, and at the very least, stocky. They also tend to have facial hair and are not as self-centered. They embrace that they are older and aren’t very concerned about the fact that they have a few extra pounds of padding.
In a similar vein as bears, another category would be cubs. As the name implies, this group of people tend to be younger versions of bears. They are not quite as heavy and often do not have quite as much hair. They often become bears when they are older and seem content to do so. A couple composed of a bear and cub is not uncommon.
Among the bears and cubs, there are other more specific classifications like otters and wolves, but these other groups tend to be body shape adjustments to this subculture. They have similar traits overall.
Another group that differs from the ones mentioned above are the jocks. This group is not very different from straight jocks, but they are very focused on body appearance and basically live at the gym. This category can also include gym rats.
There are the show queens and art gays who differ a little as well. These are the kids who tended to be more effeminate and did not fit in during high school. They love art and musical theater and make it their life to enjoy them. These groups can be pretty much any size and shape, though the art gays tend to be skinny as well.
The last group that can include people from many different subcultures is drag queens. These people perform as women, often in clubs, and enjoy doing so. They can be funny and will frequently critique the crowds they see around them. They also have an air of wit and judgement mixed in with a genuine effort to have fun.
While these seem very separating, overall the subcategories do not make a huge difference. Some gay clubs will tailor their environment to fit one category or another, but it’s not required that you be that to go to such places. Most of the time, it’s just fun to go out.
If you feel that more than one fits you, no problem! Embrace it and have fun. Knowing about all pride flags might also be useful. If not, they are not a big deal so do not worry, they don’t matter much in the long run. I’m not sure where I fall myself.
