An otter? Isn’t that a mammal from the mustelidae family? Sure, but the term also plays an important role in the gay scene. The LGBTQ+ community uses the hashtag #otter to classify men with more body hair. These characteristics also apply to bears, but otters are significantly smaller and lighter than bears. Nevertheless, the two classes like to group together. Where you find one, a bear is usually not far away.
The Gay otter as a small bear? Age doesn’t matter!
The bear is stately, large, and heavily hairy. He often seeks out feminine-looking gay men, and twinks are very popular with bears. Otters look like miniature versions of bears and are often referred to as “mini bears.” Malicious tongues also claim that otters are the female version of bears (more feminine appearance), but in practice this is nothing more than a cliché. However, they are generally considered more tolerant and have no prejudices against more feminine gay men.
Please remember that these are stereotypes! Your appearance and personality cannot be defined by a hashtag.
Where does the gay otter come from – the history of classification
In the gay scene, we often encounter prejudices and stereotypes. For example, it is often claimed that all gay men are into anal toys, even though this is not true! Similarly, not all otters are into twinks and reject bears! From a purely visual point of view, however, the classifications make sense. If you are on Grindr looking for a lover, you can specifically search for an (visual) otter to find what you are looking for. But how did this term actually come about? Sure, the animals have fur, but unlike bears, they are amphibious animals and have very little in common with humans.
In fact, there are many indications that there is a close connection between otters and bears. The bear became known in San Francisco sometime in the 1970s. Initially, all men of a certain height and with thick body hair were declared bears. As the scene expanded, it became necessary to differentiate more precisely. And so small bears with less pronounced physical characteristics became otters.
Does the gay otter have its own flag?
No otter flag has been developed yet. For many gay men, the typical paw print on the bear flag is also a clear symbol of otters. A flag was designed on DeviantArt that consists of different shades of blue and gray and also features a black paw print. Although it is not recognized as an “official” flag, it is often used to represent otters. Perhaps the LGBTQ+ community will eventually develop an exclusive flag for otters so that this group can also show their pride to the outside world!
What do otter men like?
Is there a general answer to this question? No! Otters are extremely flexible when it comes to choosing partners, although they are said to have a certain affinity for twinks. In this respect, they are similar to bears, who are considered true twink lovers. In fact, there are also otters who, as submissive personalities, seek a strong bear as a lover. Ultimately, it is impossible to generalize what a man is into. If you are a visual otter, that says nothing about your character or your sexual needs.
Otter history – Mazzei was the one
The use of animal names to describe different subtypes of gay men can be traced back to author George Mazzei. In 1979, Mazzei published an article called “Who’s Who in the Zoo,” in which he described seven different types of gay men. Each type was named after an animal that reflected their physical characteristics or personality. Mazzei used these labels as a way to describe the diversity of gay men and highlight their differences and similarities.
Although there was no specific mention of “otters” in this article, Mazzei’s description of “bears” was one of the most influential subtypes he defined.
The use of animal names to describe different subtypes of gay men has evolved and expanded over the years. Today, there are a variety of animal names used to describe different physical characteristics, personalities, or sexual preferences. These names are often used within the LGBTQ+ community and have developed their own culture and subculture over time.
Am I a gay otter? When you can classify yourself as this type
Do you love the bear community and would like to be part of it yourself? Then take a look in the mirror, because the declaration is almost always based on visual characteristics. Are you physically hairy but have a rather stocky build? Are you significantly shorter than the average bear but still look kind of bear-like? Then you could actually be an otter!
By the way: Did you know that otters don’t necessarily have to be corpulent? Many otters are actually athletic or slim and significantly narrower than bears!
Welcome to the bear cage – there’s more than just otters!
When it comes to dating, categorization is playing an increasingly important role. But the otter isn’t the only descendant of the bear! There are many other classifications that allow for the most accurate categorization possible. For example, hairy men with a certain look and high sexual activity aren’t bears, but wolves!
Asian bears are called pandas and are typically stately, but not hairy! A leather otter is an otter who has a particular fondness for leather looks. So you can see for yourself how diverse the bear world is and how similar some species are. Whether you see yourself as an otter or a bear is ultimately a personal question!