Nowhere is this more evident than in the use of tribal identifiers such as ‘bear’, ‘otter’, ‘cub’, ‘twink’, and ‘daddy’ among gay men.
Obviously, accepting a common purpose does not necessitate a rejection of what makes us different. This is exacerbated further by a reluctance on the part of some to engage in an intersectional analysis of the progress made towards LGBTQ+ liberation. It can be incredibly difficult to keep people under the LGBTQ+ umbrella ‘united’ in the face of wildly divergent concerns, priorities and experiences. The LGBTQ+ community is no different in this regard. Unless there is absolute ‘homogeneity’, a healthy dose of fractiousness and occasional rumblings of disunity are as inevitable as they are desirable. Self-styled communities are, by their very nature, imperfect. Keeping what should be a group of like-minded individuals singing from the same hymn sheet can be challenging. The concept of ‘community’ is complex to say the least. What are the advantages of this and what are the potential pitfalls? Lee Williscroft-Ferris discusses.
Gay men have become increasingly tribal, choosing to place themselves into a box that binds them with kindred spirits.
