17c起草社区

If you go down to the hood today, you鈥檙e sure of a big surprise!

And by hood, we mean the city of neighbourhoods that make up Melbourne and by today, we mean from the June 11 – 19, which is when all the hurly-burly bears of Australia and New Zealand will migrate south for the Winter in 2022, for the annual spectacular that is Southern HiBearnation!

Southern HiBearnation has become an annual pilgrimage for the Australian and New Zealand Bear community for over 20 years. VicBears Secretary, Adam Walton, had a chat with 17c起草社区 about what this event has come to mean over the years last two decades.

Bear Clubs From Australia And New Zealand Converge

鈥淪outhern HiBearnation, in general, is just the week when all the Bear clubs from around Australia and New Zealand descend on Melbourne and yeah, just celebrate all things Bear for the week! Southern HiBearnation鈥檚 been around for 20 years itself, the VicBears is the oldest, and we鈥檝e been around for 26 years now. It just used to be the celebration of that, and now it鈥榮 turned into what it is now, with all the other clubs coming down and celebrating, because each of them have their own little Bear-fests or whatever they want to call their events throughout the year. Then HiBearnation is the big one to round it all off!鈥�

When asked about the kind of people one might find at Southern HiBearnation, Walton was enthusiastic about the change in patrons he鈥檚 been noticing over the years, especially as the Bear community has become more comfortable with their role in the community, saying,聽

鈥淥ver the years since I鈥檝e been involved with the Bear community, it has become a lot more diverse. I鈥檝e been in Melbourne eight years and I鈥檝e been basically going to the Bear stuff since day one and it鈥檚 nice to see that change over the years of more and more people coming in, as I suppose the Bear community becomes more accepting, because of a possible reputation the Bears might have had of being very insular, which is changing.聽

For me now, it鈥檚 a place to celebrate body positivity, no matter who you are, no matter what shape you are, whether you鈥檙e hairy or not, if you鈥檙e comfortable, celebrate it!聽

Struggling With Body Image

It鈥檚 an important message as well. I think, no matter who you are, you do struggle with body image and excluding people because they鈥檙e too small or not hairy enough. It kinda goes against the whole foundation of being a Bear and celebrating yourself!鈥�

As someone who has himself competed to be crowned Mr Australasian Bear, it鈥檚 not surprising to hear that the highlight of the week for Walton is the pageantry of it all, 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 definitely the competitions. Without the competitions, there鈥檚 no point in even having the week.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 the person who won the state sash or the NZ sash for their own club coming down and we just celebrate the shit out of them for the week and then at the end of the week, just seeing these guys coming in and really doing stuff for the communities they love and talking about the charities they want to support with their new titles, and it鈥檚 just really good to see.聽

There鈥檚 so much community love in one spot, and everyone is in a such great mood during the competitions, and it鈥檚 just so much fun!鈥�

Trans Inclusive

Has there been any change in the type of folks looking to get involved with the Bear community as we鈥檝e started to get back to the 鈥榥ew normal鈥�, since COVID has taken a backseat in our consciousness?

鈥淥h absolutely, and one thing that I have noticed is the uptick in a lot of young trans guys coming along to the Bear events, which is so good to see. I hadn鈥檛 really thought about who would be coming out after covid ended, I was hoping all the people I had been seeing out at other events and it was all the people that you would have expected and then there was also a bunch more! I think a lot of people missed out on two years of socialising in Melbourne, so it鈥檚 a lot of people trying new things and going out with different crowds,鈥� Walton says.

Mr Australasian Bear

Besides a hankering for world peace, what other characteristics make for an ideal Mr Australasian Bear, according to Walton?

鈥淪omeone who has a strong sense of self and represents diversity and body positivity within the Bear community. Someone who can be a role model for all members of the community to look towards and see their own values reflected back in themselves鈥�

And don鈥檛 worry if you find the idea of going to a dance party and stripping down to your personals a bit daunting, Adam reckons it鈥檚 all good! 鈥淎fter 5 minutes, because everyone鈥檚 essentially dressed the same, you don鈥檛 notice that everyone鈥檚 just in their undies!鈥�

If all this sounds very interesting to you, there are a plethora of opportunities to check the Bears out in their natural habitats, including the main event, The Mr Australasia Bear Competition but also featuring Bear Soup, the very excellent UnderBEAR party, Retro Dance Party, BEARaoke – you鈥檒l need a hibernation to recover from HiBearnation!