Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'" https://bearmythology.runboard.com/t33 Runboard| Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'" en-us Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:32:58 +0000 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:32:58 +0000 https://www.runboard.com/ rssfeeds_managingeditor@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds managing editor) rssfeeds_webmaster@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds webmaster) akBBS 60 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p137,from=rss#post137https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p137,from=rss#post137Not a problem, Wesley. It's all mutual and I thank you. I mean, you were the only one who responded to me and it looks like I won't be admitted to your forum , but that's okay, at least someone cared enough to respond to me and to the small community that's here. You are right about most people sexually objectifying everything. I don't think it's a bad thing, necessarily. But, like all things, there should be some type of moderation. Not to defend gay folk, but it's the very nature of our culture of not having any outlet for our sexuality is the sole basis why heterosexuals might feel that we're overtly sexual. I don't know though, perhaps once gays are completely accepted, we'll have a lot of gay-friendly films where there is explicit gay sex (such as the explicit straight sex). I believe that that is the fear for most people. And while others are already afraid of their children's well-being for being exposed to straight sex, just imagine what will happen once gay sex becomes mainstream. But I do have an opinion on that. This is why people are parents. You don't hide things from your children. They will see such things eventually. Remember, you are a parent and not a babysitter. Sure there's a lot to warn your kids about, but that is your job and duty. You explain things to them and not shield them from "very difficult topics." Because, ultimately, they will find them out on their own. Now would your rather have that or comforted in the knowledge that you have prepared them for such issues/topics? They will always find out (cue evil music).nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:09:00 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p133,from=rss#post133https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p133,from=rss#post133Well, I for one am glad this conflict has been addressed maturely. And, I laughed at this: quote:With gay powers comes great responsibility Nice Spider-Man reference. nondisclosed_email@example.com (neveroddoreven)Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:20:29 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p127,from=rss#post127https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p127,from=rss#post127Thank you for accepting my apology and responding to my post. I like the idea for a tshirt LOL. Your post was articulate and definently some good humor in it as well.. I do hope our forum can regain respect with you. You know as a straight male, at least where I am from, there really is not as much hatred towards homosexuality as many see it?? I find many straight males to be very accepting if anything. Again, maybe in the area I am from which is pretty low key 100,000 people. I know this is not the same everywhere, but seriously alot of straight men just don't really care, to each his own. But anyways, I did read some of your guys blogs, and it looks like you have a legit forum going. Not to ramble but... I noticed in one of the posts, someone mentioned something about heterosexuals and their songs, and how obscene they can be. I AGREE. I cannot stand some of the lyrics and will roll over in my grave before my daughter listens to that crap. I dont think all straight people condone this music by any means, it just happened to come from a straight artist??? And it's very much bad. I think this shows a bigger picture of our society. One thing that stands out for me, and before I had my daughter I think objectified women. No different then a "bear" objectifying a strongman or athlete. It seems that our society objectifies everything sexually??? Or maybe not everything, but it happens alot. I wonder if this is not part of the problem?? Anyways, long story short, I see alot of similarities between you and us regardless of our differences. You guys just want to be treated right, which I think you should be. It must be difficult to believe and be something that some people cannot accept, yet it is who you are. I hope you stand true to what you believe in and don't let the negativity get you down. Im truly sorry my comments came out that way. To let you know one of my strongman training partners is who told me I was wrong..So just to show you guys people are open minded and do respect your decisions. Thank you for having me on your board, and respecting me here and my comments!! Best wishes to you all.nondisclosed_email@example.com (WesleyInman)Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:57:27 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p126,from=rss#post126https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p126,from=rss#post126Hi, Wesley, I sincerely thank you for coming here. And I thank you for talking with us. quote:WesleyInman wrote: The reason I said it's the equivalent of "attractive women" is not because I am "in love with myself" as someone mentioned. If you took the time to read the post that I quoted it clearly said, this is what "hot" women go through every day. So this is what I was referring to, not in love with myself. I'm pretty sure we all know that. Sometimes, in an argument, people find a different way to re-interpret a certain point to fit one's agenda. And, I guess it worked for us. And, yes, it was pretty devious. And with that, I completely understand that you were just making an equation. quote:WesleyInman wrote: No one over at Marunde hates gay men. What you guys may not know about Strongman is its family oriented, and I have seen homosexual competitors, NO ONE CARES< everyone is very accepting. You see the majority of us are just fine with homosexuals and many of us have friends and are not discriminatory in any way shape or form. I was actually at your forum when Mr. Marunde passed away. I would occasionally visit it as some forums I frequent would link to your forum. That's the thing, everyone is generally genial then I found a link to my page on a post titled "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'." That in itself was already very insulting, and also a bit misguided because not all "fat guys" like big men nor think of themselves as bears. But that's a detail that's more within the knowledge of gay-folk, I suppose. Maybe if the title was "Gay guys who are blatantly sexual towards strongmen" I wouldn't have jumped in to it because it was being stated as fact. Read it any way you want, the subject header was already shedding "bears" in a very negative light. But I do understand the aggravation. And I will get to that... quote:WesleyInman wrote: The reason I am clarifying my post, is because in reading what I typed it does sound ignorant in my realization that all of you guys aren't this way,and I put it out there like you all are, so I am sorry. You don't have to apologize but I am a lot relieved to know that you did not mean it that way. Thank you. ^_^ quote:WesleyInman wrote: On the other hand, to be honest with you, the 5-10 attempted "adds" I get per week from Bears and Homosexual men, several of them accompanied by a message such as "id love to suck your nipples", I would like to put my tongue in your asshole, "I can only imagine what your dick looks like" those are the messages I personally regularly see on my Facebook and MySpace accounts. I personally find it beyond disrespectful coming from a man or woman. I know that several strongman have experienced this...So that's kind of the general consensus we are getting, because thats all we know and are aware of unfortunately for you guys. That really blows. (Sorry for that failed attempt at humor.) Personally, I am deeply shocked that you guys get this a lot. And this is just coming from one gay guy, and I feel that the reason we do this is due to the fact that we are so repressed. I'm not justifying it, just pointing out a "possible reason" why we do this. I guess I just have more restraint than others because I don't feel the need to write that to someone. Perhaps it's the closest we can get to a "sexual interaction"? I really don't know. I mean, like me, we ache to be loved and be acknowldged by big guys, and fortunately/unfortunately (depends where you're coming from), strongmen are more visible to us, due to television and the internet. And as a gay-specific issue, it's not really easy to tell whether someone is gay or not. Again, this is not an excuse, but more of a a possibility. It seems that strongmen are the only ones who are being harrassed the most. Last year, I had an incident with Boris Haraldsson's girlfriend which was my last year's "Strongmen versus Gay Bears" fiasco (I posted a video of Ralph Ber removing Boris' shirt during a televised ESPN Strongman event). (Man, will this be a yearly thing? Lol.) Or, it could be that strongmen are the only ones who are vocal about this abuse, while others are silent victims of these inconsiderate and obscene gay guys. I may have to create a banner ad on my blog with something like this: "Stop Sexually Abusing The Strongmen" or a T-Shirt to wear at the strongmen competitions: "Harass My Ass And I'll Bust Your Atlas Stones" I may sound like I'm making light out of all this, but you have to admit, it's a little bit funny. Just a little bit. quote:WesleyInman wrote: But you guys are right, my post was out of line, because Im sure you are not all that way. Im sure there are plenty of decent "bears". Thank you. And my apologies for my rude responses. I tend to have a lot of anger when it comes to criticisms about gay people. quote:WesleyInman wrote: Strongman is a family, and Marunde Muscle was started by Jesse Marunde, a Pro Strongman who passed away. A born again Christian and very non judgemental person. He would not want negative connotation to his site, and the fact that my Post was part of it...I sincerely apologize. I have sincere respect for the forum and Mr. Marunde. I have also great immense respect for Mrs. Marunde for keeping her husband's spirit alive with the forum. I am aware of Mr. Marunde's dream and goal with the community, and he's done a great deal just by my browsing through the discussions. A few negative comments do not make the forum a "bad place." And, I hope I did not make the forum sound like a place of homophobia, because it is not. quote:WesleyInman wrote: Furthermore, strongman may be strong, but that doesn't mean we are violent and want to kick the asses of people who make these comments, or would ever raise a hand to anyone. Most strongmen are professionals and have families, and kids myself included. Again, that is my sarcasm in hyperdrive. Although I find myself humorous, I'm starting to realize that I am the only one who find my "dark humor" remotely funny. Chalk it up for years of being in the closet. I still am. This is why I'm brave on the internet. I'm never this vocal in real life. And with that, I was not implicating that strongmen are violent in nature. It was my way to make a "scandalous point" on the nature of hate. I sincerely apologize. quote:WesleyInman wrote: If I see a picture of myself, or a strongman does with sexually explicit messages, am I upset?? Sure. Does stuff happen? Yes, we aren't that weak and insensitive. HOWEVER, we want RESPECT, and talking about us or taking our pics without permission and then making obscene comments about them is part of the issue strongman have. Some strongman could give two damns at the same time. It has NOTHING to do with your sexuality. If women posted my picture on a Female site and made comments, very detailed comments on how they would like to suck my dick and finger my ass. I would be super offended likewise. I have a family and daughter, I dont want that bullshit anywhere and neither do the rest of the strongmen. Long story short, please understand that as you guys want respect, we do too. You are correct. You deserve respect. Now, the question is, as I've asked, how do we deal with this? It's almost like we need to have a Public Service Announcement for these gay people coming on to you rudely and disrespectfully. Unfortunately, these gay folk are probably people who are in need of guidance. With gay powers comes great responsibility. They need a guiding figure to help them in this world. Or we need a "Gay Book Of Etiquette." Hopefully, they end up reading these arguments/conversations and realize that their "harmless sexual explicitness" is not all that harmless after all. LOL, what do you know? There is such a book: http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Book-Gay-Manners-Etiquette/dp/006095079X quote:WesleyInman wrote: I appreciate the posts and some of the members here who were very reasonable...Alot of you guys were non-judgemental and I can appreciate that. You guys too. There were people in your forum that were very open-minded. They'd better watch out though. They're definitely going in my blog. quote:WesleyInman wrote: No one condones gay bashing on our site. But as we all know freedom of speech and opinion reigns. Not everyone here may agree, and consider this gay bashing...maybe we ALL can change our wording a bit. So I hope this alleviates the situation and I hope no one tries to "read" negativity into this as it is with good intentions. Thanks guys. Again, thank you. I know you guys don't condone gay bashing. As I've said, that was my sarcasm being used to make a point. And, yes, you have greatly alleviated the situation. At this point, I have reached a closure of sorts. Again, thank you very much for your time. I feel like a human being right now. ^_^ nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:12:32 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p125,from=rss#post125https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p125,from=rss#post125First of all, I love your sig, never. Reminds me of my way-too-emo-before-emo-was-a-term high school senior quote: "Life is fantastic, magnificent, and wonderful, but no one said it would be beautiful." Truly a quote only an intensely-closeted gay guy would write... But back to my promoting violence. This was why I prefaced my post (and I wonder if I will ever be admitted in?) with a disclaimer that I won't be speaking on behalf of all gay men. The thing is, I will have to stick by those comments. The thing is, I am not literally condoning it. I am trying to provide a wish-fulfillment. If you read through their words, there's a sense of anger that they want to release. Now if they find themselves agreeing with beating up on obscene gay men, then that's their problem. They will do it either way, with or without my help. Believe me, I am not really advocating violence (note how I did an unfortunate bad joke about it by making a pun out of "boner"). Again, if they do decide to do it, it's because they've been wanting to do it anyway. Here's an example of a person who committed premeditated murder. The murderer was a heterosexual 14 years old and the victim was a homosexual 15 years old: http://bearmythology.net/2008/03/03/ellen-degeneres-discusses-the-recent-tragic-death-of-lawrence-king/ This is what the news don't really focus on and I will mention it here. The victim, Larry, was openly gay (a term that I don't prefer, by the way, as it segregates us from the heterosexual population) and he was extremely forward with his sexual advances on his murderer, Brandon. What does that mean? Larry was openly flamboyant and very open with his attractions towards Brandon. Sounds familiar? Yes, he was a very "obscene and sexually-explicit gay teenager." So how did Brandon resolve it? Through murder. He shot Larry in the head twice with a .22-caliber revolver. Really, if instances such as these don't seep in to the minds of our homophobic brethren, then I suggest they do what they want to do with us. - Take away our equal rights to marriage (yet they can get married AND get divorced -- what a great severance bonus package). Really, if marriage is so holy and sacred, why is there no law against divorce? - Take away our rights to talk about our attractions (yet they're always flaunting their attractions) - Take away our rights to adopt (yet they keep spawning while adoption homes are consistently filled with children) Oh, that's right. They have either already taken those away or are working to do so. So what's the next step? Placing us in concentration camps or, better yet, skip the middle man and just f*cking kill us. Because you see, once we're all gone, none of you straight guys will create anymore future gays because we gays are borne out from... Oh sh*t, that's right, heterosexual couples. <falls from soapbox>nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:40:06 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p124,from=rss#post124https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p124,from=rss#post124I am the strongman who made the comment I don't know. Thats different because its males hitting on women. Even if its unwanted, its not the same. In this case its big hairy men stalking in shape or men who workout, and I think although funny, realistically its sickening. I guess it would be the equivalent of attractive women being stalked by an obese hairy lesbian... These "bears" are worse because they are blatently sexual and they say things that a normal person wouldn't say to a person they were attracted to. I think it's only fair to defend my board, strongman and clarify the situation. The reason I said it's the equivalent of "attractive women" is not because I am "in love with myself" as someone mentioned. If you took the time to read the post that I quoted it clearly said, this is what "hot" women go through every day. So this is what I was referring to, not in love with myself. No one over at Marunde hates gay men. What you guys may not know about Strongman is its family oriented, and I have seen homosexual competitors, NO ONE CARES< everyone is very accepting. You see the majority of us are just fine with homosexuals and many of us have friends and are not discriminatory in any way shape or form. The reason I am clarifying my post, is because in reading what I typed it does sound ignorant in my realization that all of you guys aren't this way,and I put it out there like you all are, so I am sorry. On the other hand, to be honest with you, the 5-10 attempted "adds" I get per week from Bears and Homosexual men, several of them accompanied by a message such as "id love to suck your nipples", I would like to put my tongue in your asshole, "I can only imagine what your dick looks like" those are the messages I personally regularly see on my Facebook and MySpace accounts. I personally find it beyond disrespectful coming from a man or woman. I know that several strongman have experienced this...So that's kind of the general consensus we are getting, because thats all we know and are aware of unfortunately for you guys.   But you guys are right, my post was out of line, because Im sure you are not all that way. Im sure there are plenty of decent "bears". Strongman is a family, and Marunde Muscle was started by Jesse Marunde, a Pro Strongman who passed away. A born again Christian and very non judgemental person. He would not want negative connotation to his site, and the fact that my Post was part of it...I sincerely apologize. Furthermore, strongman may be strong, but that doesn't mean we are violent and want to kick the asses of people who make these comments, or would ever raise a hand to anyone. Most strongmen are professionals and have families, and kids myself included.  If I see a picture of myself, or a strongman does with sexually explicit messages, am I upset?? Sure. Does stuff happen? Yes, we aren't that weak and insensitive. HOWEVER, we want RESPECT, and talking about us or taking our pics without permission and then making obscene comments about them is part of the issue strongman have. Some strongman could give two damns at the same time. It has NOTHING to do with your sexuality. If women posted my picture on a Female site and made comments, very detailed comments on how they would like to suck my dick and finger my ass. I would be super offended likewise. I have a family and daughter, I dont want that bullshit anywhere and neither do the rest of the strongmen. Long story short, please understand that as you guys want respect, we do too. I appreciate the posts and some of the members here who were very reasonable...Alot of you guys were non-judgemental and I can appreciate that. No one condones gay bashing on our site. But as we all know freedom of speech and opinion reigns. Not everyone here may agree, and consider this gay bashing...maybe we ALL can change our wording a bit. So I hope this alleviates the situation and I hope no one tries to "read" negativity into this as it is with good intentions. Thanks guys. quote:nondisclosed_email@example.com (WesleyInman)Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:27:14 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p120,from=rss#post120https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p120,from=rss#post120Well, for the most part, I think it's a good defense and all that. But I don't know if I can really support the condoning of gaybashing obscene gay men. Not specifically because it's encouraging beating a homosexual. It's because it encourages beating a fellow human being. My take on this whole thing is that you can't control other people's opinions. If these guys are so insecure that they can't handle ribald or obscene comments, I can't really help them other than to say "get a fucking helmet." Life is like that. You're always going to find someone who goes too far in one way or another. I've personally been on the receiving end of blatantly obscene advances from women. More than once in fact. But whether you think that's creepy or flattering, I think they have the right to their own expression. Anyway, I know you are hurt and angry and feel the need to understand, but be careful about the moral compromise of advocating any kind of violence. And I say, keep posting whichever pictures you want, as you don't sell or profit from those pictures, and they were all harvested from public forums. Sure, if people specifically request the picture be removed, then it's best to do that to avoid unnecessary drama. But otherwise, carry on. Your target audience is well pleased by your site. Hopefully this wasn't too rambling. If it was, cut me some slack, it's 7:00 am, and I usually wake up at 10:00...nondisclosed_email@example.com (neveroddoreven)Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:13:10 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p114,from=rss#post114https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p114,from=rss#post114Okay, I signed up last night on the Marunde-Muscle forum but they still haven't authorized me to post in there. I had to post my real name and I've decided to still go ahead and sign up. I really did not want to (I mean, I don't even post my whole name in my own blog), but I'd like to end this cross-over blog flame war to at least an understanding..... Anyway, here is what I will post to them: ############################## My name is Will and I've decided to join as to talk about my side of the story (and I'm not speaking on behalf of all gay men who are attracted to strongmen-types). I'm doing this because I genuinely would like to come to an understanding with our differing point of views. Also, I'm noticing that this is starting to become an "Us versus Them" flame war all because of two issues that are being mixed up and it's very difficult to talk about them simultaneously. So let me begin with this one: OBSCENE GAY MEN - In Real Life Situations Yes, I completely agree that anyone (whether gay man, straight woman, hermaphrodite, etc) who blatantly comes up to you in person and makes lewd comments should not be tolerated. Part of my intense self-defense about this argument is because I have this notion that strongmen are just that: strong. And with such strength, why not beat the gay out of that boner (or is it beat the boner out of the gay)? Perhaps it's a stereotype, but do you just take such obscenities? I mean, let me just reiterate it. Bash the inconsiderate prick. This is a type of gay bashing I will tolerate. That person is asking for it. - Email, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Comments The very nature of those online social clubs is "anonymity." From a punk kid to a horny octogenarian, anyone can and will get lewd. It's the nature of the beast. I get a lot of hate mail everyday about my blog. I just delete then ignore them. Of course, I'm still a human being and the words (even though they came from strangers) oftentimes hurt. Again, perhaps it's my stereotype. Do these obscene friend requests and sexually-explicit emails really bother you that much? If so, why? So that's my view on the "Obscene Gay Men" vent. It was the initial complaint of Mr. Jay Hagadorn. For the record, I do NOT condone such people. I want to make my stand on that issue very clear. Now let me talk about the second issue: GAY BLOGS/SITES ABOUT STRONGMEN My blog has been described as creepy, disturbing, funny, gross, and anything else except anything positive. My blog is basically a hilarious joke, a heathenous Sodom-Online, or a pathetic group of creepy perverts/weirdos/stalkers. I really believe that if I followed the model of KKK websites, where I would just have a blog where I insulted big men, I believe that none of you folks here would even whine/vent/complain about it and probably even defend my freedom of speech. And, if such a strongman hater came up to your face and insulted you, you would probably beat the crap out of that hater without a second thought. Will I be wrong to assume that? You are all right to say that I should not post "candid" or "personal" photos of such strongmen without their permission. Just because I'm gay, it does not give me the right to abuse my "special status" to post anyone's personal photos on my blog. The thing is, I do not do that. Most of my photos are being shared willingly or in public places. However, you feel that I'm intolerant for not realizing that you would feel weirded out for seeing your photos online followed with sexually-explicit comments about them. Of course I'd be weirded out if my photos showed up somewhere and they'd talk lewd about me. Other than that, I would feel flattered, though still weirded out, but at least they're not posting about how ugly and skinny I am (yes, I am not fat; I'm a 145 lbs. weakling). Again, I really feel that no one will be complaining about their photos in a hate-filled site because if they vented about it, they will look "girly." However, if they complained about being an object of affection from a gay site, they will look "manly" (sprinkled with comments that they're married or have a girlfriend and with kids and a mortgage and a big, large dog). Am I wrong to assume that? Just because I'm gay, it does not mean that I should ignore the feelings of those I post about on the blog. I have deleted quite a few posts and/or photos because the people I have posted about have emailed me and would either politely request or angrily demand that I take the photos off or the whole posts completely. Some have threatened legal actions. And I abided with all of their requests/demands while I follow on through with either a "Thank You" or "I apologize." As you can see, I'm learning as I go along. I'm walking the fine balance of being respectful with the people I post but I can't help what others say about the photos/videos. I have also learned not to post images where their family (especially children) are not included in the photos. There was a pro-wrestler who requested that I removed his photos of himself and his children and he was very frustrated that I did that. I immediately removed the photos as well as the actual post when he said that. After that, he was cool with me and he said that I should just post his pro-wrestling photos: just business and not personal life. So that was a big lesson learned. From my perspective, I did not think there was anything wrong with it, but from his perspective, his children on a "gay blog" is not a good thing. That really saddens me because if I was female (especially a hot female) and my blog was titled, "Mary Ann's Blog Of Wickedly Awesome Bearish Men," I don't think I would get such type of reactions. Anyway, it really saddens me that I have certain limitations when, really, I am just excited to talk about men I find attractive. So if there is anybody in this forum that's on my blog and you feel very uncomfortable about my wanting to tell others that you are a very good-looking man, let me know and I will take them down. I know that Mr. Beath has commented here and I hope that he does not ask me to take it down. I mean, really, look at what I posted about the PatrioticHighlander: quote:http://bearmythology.net/2009/03/26/ernie-beath-is-the-patriotichighlander/ Thanks to good buddy, BigNHusky, we now know who that massive, massive powerlifting musclechub: PatrioticHighlander from YouTube (real name is Ernie Beath). In his YouTube page, he said that he’s in the process of writing a strength book. Wow. A powerlifter and a writer. Awesome combination. Here are two videos where we get to see Mr. Ernie Beath doing lifts while shirtless. Unbelievably. Spectacular… Was I sexually explicit at all in that post? And check out my post about strongman Phil Martin: http://bearmythology.net/2008/05/10/phil-martin-officially-the-coolest-strongman-i-know Yes, he emailed me when I posted these entries about him: http://bearmythology.net/2007/12/14/phil-martin-or-why-sumo-is-the-greatest-sport-ever http://bearmythology.net/2007/12/14/phil-martin-wsm-sumo-event He said the following: quote:My big ass.....all over your web page......it took alot of therapy to get over my big ass on espn all those years....at least i still have fans.....lol It was that very email (and our later correspondence) that made me respect strongmen further. It further cemented my love for the sport as well. So when I found out about strongmen talking negatively about my blog (I ended up on this link because every time my blog is linked, my stats page show where it's originating from, so I'm not "e-stalking" you guys), it disappointed me and got me in self-defense mode. Again, if you are in my blog and you don't want your photos/actual post in there, let me know and I will delete them. I will attempt to only post about well-known strongmen since they have celebrity status (and see, that's what confuses me; where does one become a celebrity and one becomes just a faceless competitor whom I should ask permission for? In my eyes, every strongman is of a celebrity status.) And with that question, this is why I post about the people that I post. I want to give them exposure. It might not be the type of publicity that's "typical," but isn't any publicity "good publicity"? I'm sure, as I'm realizing now, we won't see eye to eye with that question. Also, I cannot control what others say. I'm not making excuses, but gay people like me do not have any type of PG-rated site so I try to fulfill such a need. It's a free place and I just want people to have fun with it. I started out with a members-only Yahoo Group as it was "safe" as no straight people could see what we were talking about. But I have decided to evolve and let the straight people know that we find big men attractive. Just look at my reader demographic in the U.S.: http://www.quantcast.com/bearmythology.net 59% Male 41% Female I get a lot of emails from females. Most of them tend to like huskier and chubbier types. So don't assume that the gay blog talking about strongmen are only read by gay men. Women love and adore you. But, no, the focus is on the sword-wielding gay men. I'm personally sick and tired of the "Love the sinner and not the sin" and all of its iterations. Such as "I don't mind who you are attracted to or sleep around with just as long as I don't see or hear about it." Translation: "You have every right to be a gay man and I support you, but do not talk or blog about us. I do not want to know about it or see it. It is just gross and wrong and will negatively affect the children." Really, there is this double standard where heterosexuals can easily flaunt their sexuality (just turn on your radio and hear Flo Rida's "You Spin Me Round" singing about blowjobs or go to a newspaper stand and see countless teenybopper magazines sexualizing underage boys), while gay people are treated as second-class citizens where we cannot talk about our own sexuality. I mean, seriously, again, do a double-take on my blog. What exactly is offensive in there? Furthermore, I've read comments here where their gay friends found us "creepy." How ironic and downright hypocritical. Our own gay team is laughing at us? Wow. In short, I understand the initial complaint from Mr. Hagadorn. So my offer to remove you (general) from my blog stands. Also, feel free to beat up on sexually-explicit gay guys who come on to you. In fact, bash their skulls right in. And when they send you non-flattering emails, forward them to me and I'll post them in the blog and I'll talk trash about them. Really, that's all I can offer. And I hope that I am a bit clearer on the two issues. Thank you for your time. nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:23:37 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p111,from=rss#post111https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p111,from=rss#post111This is from a combination of a few things - One, there's obviously a good amount of homophobia entailed but I think even more importantly it's just insecurity. These guys work really, really hard to maintain their bodies, which I admire, but I think they just don't know how to handle someone admiring them in a way that they just hadn't intended. It's out of their control, and I think it's scary for them. Contrast with the photos that our friend Bullneck takes. He's been contacted by people in uniform who LOVE his work, and it's not that hard to tell from a few ass pics why he's taking the pictures. It's quite obvious, but it's all taken with a good humor and I think some sort of mutual admiration. The other component - this is just the way the internet works. If your image is online, you're going to be leered at. Boy, girl, any age, any race, any body shape. Commenters are anonymous, for the most part, and no matter what you look like there is going to be someone with the balls to announce it very publicly how bad they want to fuck you online. Not gonna change. I find it weird that you get this sort of flack more than a few times but it's never happened on Chubarama. I'm not implying that it's something that's Bearmythology's fault, just the opposite, but I think the only possible explanation is the different sort of guys we highlight. There's obviously some overlap, but I can't help but think these muscle bound guys are much more likely to have a problem with some gay guys on a blog wanting to get sweaty with them. nondisclosed_email@example.com (chubaramadotnet)Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:01:55 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p95,from=rss#post95https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p95,from=rss#post95Coming on strong isn't an exclusively gay trait. I know lots of straight men who are very aggressive in hitting on women. I've been hit on by aggressive women. It doesn't make me uncomfortable. Any stroke to my ego is fine by me. I'm flattered, and I tell them so. As far as the board flamewar, I was really only jesting. I just like imagining various revenge scenarios to release my anger and hurt from their comments. But oh well. I'm still going to get turned on by all those strong men, straight or gay. And I'm not going to hit on any of them, straight or gay. Insecurity is fun!nondisclosed_email@example.com (neveroddoreven)Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:15:09 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p86,from=rss#post86https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p86,from=rss#post86Glad to sign up Will,God forbid I miss a chance to get up on a soapbox! 1st off,I think that guy compared himself to an attractive woman cause of course he could never imagine any women he would deem ugly getting hit on.But beauty Is In the beholders eye and so Is desire. And while I may find you attractive,you may not see me the same way,even If we're both gay. 2nd,I love your senarios,but what If You replace straight strongman and chick with gay dude In the 1st 3 senarios and straight strongman again with gay dude and gay dude with chick In the last 3-how would It read then? I'll tell you that for me,personaly,It reads very true and uncomfortable.I'll admit It,I have though this way. Now, I have been hit on by a woman and have told them the truth but thanks for the compliment. I also agree that some gay men do come on way to strong-to the point of harassment-to some straight guys,especialy when Its done on the guys sites like Facebook where online communication provides distance and annonimity.Will,as you've seen from being on my friends list elsewhere,many of my friends are straight men I find attractive. But I would never send them exsplicit messages becuse I respect that they're straight,along with their accomplishments as a person.Oh,by the way-love the term openly straight!nondisclosed_email@example.com (buddyorion)Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:11:21 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p84,from=rss#post84https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p84,from=rss#post84quote:buddyorion wrote: I'm not surprised at any of this. This Is a typical response where the straight person must expose,mock and humiliate the gay person or be seen by other straights as sympathetic to gays,which might indicate that person could also be gay. I also take exception to the fat remark. Here's a big shocker-I know an out Bear who Is a strongman and competes at compititions. Im also sure-though I would never ask such question-that he has shared a locker room with some of the guys who responded on the Murande forum. I'm gonna guess he's never hit on any of these guys because they're straight and It would be a wate of time. It' s a complete myth that every gay person wants every straight person,so fear not strongmen. Oh My Gosh! BUDDY!!!!! Thank you for signing up and posting, dear friend... And, yes, I'm in complete agreement. It's just crazy how people can easily hate than love. Why not just be flattered? Or, better yet, just ignore the person. Let's look at the following different scenarios which are inspired by this comment: quote:I guess it would be the equivalent of attractive women being stalked by an obese hairy lesbian... These "bears" are worse because they are blatently sexual and they say things that a normal person wouldn't say to a person they were attracted to. (First of all, it's awesome that he compared himself to "attractive women" and not just "women"... Wow. The dude's totally in love with himself.) Straight strongman being hit on by a hot chick: Totally normal. This is how life is supposed to be. Straight strongman being hit on by a mediocre-looking chick: Totally normal. This is how life is supposed to be. But, dammit, I wish she was hotter. Straight strongman being hit on by an ugly chick: Totally normal. This is how life is supposed to be. But, dammit, she's gross and I ain't having it. Straight strongman being hit on by a hot gay dude: Totally not normal. But it's pretty flattering. But it's still gross. Straight strongman being hit on by a mediocre looking gay dude: Totally not normal. Plus in the spectrum of gays, there's only good-looking and ugly. Straight strongman being hit on by an ugly dude: Totally not normal. "Ugly dude" = "Ugly, obscene fat gay bear."nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:59:45 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p83,from=rss#post83https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p83,from=rss#post83quote:neveroddoreven wrote: Jeez. For a bunch of tough guys, they're pretty insecure. Well, except for that Andrew Palmer guy. His was the only reasonable comment I saw. I used to frequent a message board that had a ton of active members. Every once in a while we'd declare a message board war on another site. Then we'd all invade and troll everyone there. I remember once we trolled this white supremacy site so badly that it ended up shutting down. Good times. Too bad there aren't enough people here to do that.... First of all, yes, Andrew Palmer was the only person there with a lucid mind and an open heart. The rest: not so much... Though the trolling invasion sounds good in concept, I would not want us to stoop down to their level. Ultimately, they have their opinion about us and there's really not much we can do about it. We can only hope that they will one day understand us. Unfortunately, I can't blame them with the uncomfortable experiences they'd receive from our gay brethren. But what they fail to understand is that gay people are just like straight people. From every obscene gay guy, there's another who is not. But these people would have few negative instances and, all of a sudden, all gay bears are rude and obnoxious. The only way we can fight back is through example. I thoroughly understand the aching need to be loved and even just acknowledged by big men. But we need to practice restraint, especially if we're dealing with "openly straight" (sounds different, ain't it?) men.nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:47:29 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p82,from=rss#post82https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p82,from=rss#post82I'm not surprised at any of this. This Is a typical response where the straight person must expose,mock and humiliate the gay person or be seen by other straights as sympathetic to gays,which might indicate that person could also be gay. I also take exception to the fat remark. Here's a big shocker-I know an out Bear who Is a strongman and competes at compititions. Im also sure-though I would never ask such question-that he has shared a locker room with some of the guys who responded on the Murande forum. I'm gonna guess he's never hit on any of these guys because they're straight and It would be a wate of time. It' s a complete myth that every gay person wants every straight person,so fear not strongmen. nondisclosed_email@example.com (buddyorion)Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:23:39 +0000 Re: Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p75,from=rss#post75https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p75,from=rss#post75Jeez. For a bunch of tough guys, they're pretty insecure. Well, except for that Andrew Palmer guy. His was the only reasonable comment I saw. I used to frequent a message board that had a ton of active members. Every once in a while we'd declare a message board war on another site. Then we'd all invade and troll everyone there. I remember once we trolled this white supremacy site so badly that it ended up shutting down. Good times. Too bad there aren't enough people here to do that.... nondisclosed_email@example.com (neveroddoreven)Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:35:49 +0000 Gay Bears & Their Admirers Get Slammed: "Fat Guys That Call Themselves 'Bears'"https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p73,from=rss#post73https://bearmythology.runboard.com/p73,from=rss#post73I have decided to compile sites and forums that tend to talk negatively about "bearish men" and their admirers (specifically, JUST gay male admirers). I really can't believe the hate these people would say about us. So here's one... http://marunde-muscle.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16654 quote:First of all, I do not want to be your "bear friend". Secondly, quit cruising the strongman and highlands games sites and competitions. If you were in shape and competing , it would be different, but since you are fat and just trying to get your jollies, stop. I am not freaked out, just grossed out. I am happily married with kids. Sorry it just would not work out, we would mix like oil and water. Apparently, ALL gay bears are just "fat." "Not freaked out"? "Just grossed out"? Geez, what exactly is the difference? Way to go trying to build some "manly cred" when you are still a whiny little girl with the "OMG I am like so grossed out like totally." quote:Careful there...if you follow that link back to the main page, you'll see a spotlight on a NAS member and CA's Strongest Man competitor. Look a bit closer and you'll see they uncovered the NAS 2008 Flikr page, so I bet most everyone on this board has caught their attention. That's right. We're not even human beings. We don't have a mother, a father, or even something that remotely resemble a human heart. We're just walking zombie c-o-c-k-s out to f*ck your puny pea-sized brains. quote: I think the thing that annoys me most about it is; every once in awhile I will get bear videos on my recommended youtube section. I think that German strongman Heinz Ollesch has more videos of him for bears, than he does of him competing. This is annoying, how? Oh that's right, gay people cannot and should not be attracted to the same sex at all. By the way, can you also tell me what the right food I should eat? What lifestyle I should lead? And what toilet paper I should use? Because, you see, I need to wipe off the sh*t from your bigoted mouth. quote:A while back, somebody posted a creepy website of some guy who was traveling around to SM competitions and snapping/posting pictures of competitors. Pretty messed up. It's awesome that he's not even specific as to the sex of this "somebody." When it comes to THE GAYS, it's all about effeminate gay men and not the hot ladies. quote:Holy Crap.. I about fell out of my chair laughing when I saw the link. This is a warning to all the bigger guys out there, wear your shirts at all times, you never know who is watching. For a bunch of supposedly big guys who spend most of their time lovingly staring at themselves in the mirror to see just how massive they are, this warning is downright ironic. quote:quote:Originally Posted by Daniel Evans Just a little taste of what a hot girl goes through everyday, everywhere they go. I don't know. Thats different because its males hitting on women. Even if its unwanted, its not the same. In this case its big hairy men stalking in shape or men who workout, and I think although funny, realistically its sickening. I guess it would be the equivalent of attractive women being stalked by an obese hairy lesbian... These "bears" are worse because they are blatently sexual and they say things that a normal person wouldn't say to a person they were attracted to. How does that tasty platter of hate taste like? Would you also like a side order of ignorance with that?nondisclosed_email@example.com (bearmythology)Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:42:39 +0000