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National Park Service’s ‘Fat Bear Week’ sends the gays spiralling: ‘Where the bears at’

The National Park Service is currently celebrating ‘Fat Bear Week’, and the Gays are thrilled (Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)

The National Park Service is currently celebrating 'Fat Bear Week', and the Gays are thrilled (Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)

The National Park Service is currently celebrating ‘Fat Bear Week’ with a tournament of mammals with ‘big bear bellies’ – but to gay men, that means something very different.

The National Park Service, a branch of the Federal United States Government in charge of managing the country’s parks, national monuments and other natural, historical, and recreational properties, has announced that “Fat Bear Week” is here.

The annual celebration of the large, hairy mammals was heralded by a post on X from the NPS’s official account, that reads: “Big bear bellies, bigger bear glories. Fat Bear Week is here.”

The event is to celebrate, well, fat bears, in Katmai National Park, Alaska, with its official site describing the annual tournament as “celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation.” Users can vote for their favourite fat bear until one is crowned a winner.

Apart from, to gay people, the connotations of ‘Fat Bear’ is not limited to the animals.

A ‘bear’, in queer vernacular, is a term used to describe a subsection of gay men who are hairy (all over), usually with beards, a large or stocky build, and a generally rugged appearance.

And the proclamation of a ‘fat bear week’ has sent the gays into fits of hysterics (and predictably, thirst).

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“Where the bears at,” wrote one user alongside several tongue-out emojis.

“Twinks everywhere are quaking,” another joked, referencing another subset of typically hairless, skinny gay men.

“National Park Service twitter I am BEGGING you please think when you say things like this,” a third commented.

“It’s finally my week,” one user added while another joked, “Huge week for me.”

“Fat bears please hit me up” a third wrote.

The reason that bears get larger in winter is to gain ample body fat to survive hibernation, and feed, nurture and protect their cubs.

Matchups for Fat Bear Week – for the animals, not the gay men – are open for voting until September 30, with one Fat Bear Week champion crowned.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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