Gaps in Bear Research: A Qualitative Study of Plus-Size and GMPD Inclusion in University Education (Theory of Change Analysis)

Abstract

Plus-size gay men and Bear/GMPD communities remain marginal in educational research, despite growing scholarship on fat stigma and queer experiences in higher education. This pilot study explores how Bear-identified and plus-size gay men working in academia understand their visibility, wellbeing and sense of belonging within university environments. Five cisgender gay men aged 26-40 completed an anonymous online questionnaire distributed via academic and Bear/GMPD networks. All had at least a master's degree and 1-15 years of academic or research experience in Europe, with one participant originating from South America and now working in Czechia. The questionnaire combined demographic items, open-ended questions about identity, representation and wellbeing, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three overarching themes were identified: (1) "Visible bodies, invisible identities" - participants sometimes experienced their size as neutral or even protective, yet saw almost no explicit representation of Bears or plus-size gay men in curricula, policy or senior academic roles; (2) "Belonging at the margins of multiple communities" - participants negotiated partial belonging in both academia and Bear scenes, describing exclusion based on body, sexuality, nationality or neurodivergence; and (3) "Carrying the weight of academic cultures" - high performance demands, reviewer hostility and subtle discrimination undermined wellbeing, with Bear/GMPD spaces sometimes offering counter-narratives of desirability and acceptance. Life satisfaction scores suggested generally mixed to low satisfaction. The study argues for developing body diversity literacy in universities and for closer connections between Bear/GMPD communities and educational institutions.