The Out to Lunch Gender, Sexuality, and Community is a weekly academic lecture and discussion series with guest scholars and community activists from various disciplines examining a variety of topics related to gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality. Each semester offers a broad sampling of the areas.

Today's lecture is entitled, "Subcultural Identity Work and Social Stigma in the Bear Subculture" and will be presented by Patrick McGrady.

Synopsis: The Bear culture emerged in the late 1970s amidst the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and early stages of the gay rights movement. Since its beginnings, the culture has proliferated across the globe with bear events, social clubs, dating applications, and marketing. This talk conceptualizes the bear community as an “alternative subculture” with its own forms of cultural codes, policing, and identity work that make it distinct within the gay community. In doing so, Dr. McGrady explores the potential of resistance towards weight stigma in the gay community, the production of masculinity, and the implication of the changing cultural norms.

Biography: Dr. McGrady is an assistant professor of Sociology at the University of New Haven. His work considers the intersections amongst gender, embodiment, sexuality, and identity work. Currently he is conducting an ethnographic of the LGBTQ choral movement.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunches.