Bears Perth has been running since 1993: a queer bear club, and a room where you don't have to explain yourself. This page sets out what that means in practice — who belongs here, and what we do to make our events reachable.
This is what we've done so far. We know there is a good deal more to do, and we would much rather be told than left to guess.
If there is something that would make it easier for you to come, or something we could do better for everyone, get in touch. Both kinds of message are welcome and the committee reads all of them.
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Every kind of bear
There is no one way to be a bear. It is not a body type you have to qualify for, and our members vary on every axis you can think of.
- Age. Eighteen and up, with members into their seventies. All our events are 18+, and nobody ages out at the other end.
- Hair. Full pelt, patchy, smooth, or shaved off this morning.
- Build. Fat, slim, soft, solid, and everything that none of those words quite covers.
- Bear or bear-attracted. Some of us are bears. Some of us just want to be in the room with them. Both belong here.
- Sexuality. Gay, bi, pan, queer, or still working it out.
- Gender. Cis and trans men, and non-binary people who feel at home in a male-presenting space. Trans men are part of this club and have worn the Mr Bear Perth sash.
- Brain. Neurospicy, neurotypical, and the many of us who have never checked.
- Everything else. Your race, whether you are disabled, your HIV status, how long you have been out, whether you are partnered, whether you have ever set foot in a queer venue before.
You will hear nicknames at a Den Night — cub, otter, polar, grizzly. They are affectionate shorthand, not categories anyone is sorting you into, and plenty of our members would not use a single one of them about themselves.
A lot of queer spaces have a narrow idea of what a desirable man looks like. Bears Perth exists because plenty of us don't fit it, and would rather not spend the evening being reminded.
Getting into our venues
We pick venues with access in mind, and we tell you what each one offers rather than leaving you to ring ahead.
How we choose
Step-free entry and an accessible bathroom are the first things we look for. Where a venue falls short, we say so on the event page rather than let you find out on the night.
Loton Park Tennis Club
Home base, and where Den Nights are held. Ramp access to the deck and the clubhouse, and a large accessible bathroom. There is an indoor clubroom, a large open-air deck and a covered verandah, so you can pick your spot depending on the noise and the weather. The smoking area is reached by stairs only, but most of the night happens on the deck.
Full arrival directions are on the First Timers page.
Hyde Park Hotel
Where the board games afternoons are held, and the Western Roundup after party. The event space is mobility friendly.
Everywhere else
Western Roundup runs across several venues in a week, and each event page carries its own access note.
If a venue won't work for you
Tell us before the event. Sometimes we can change something. When we can't, we would much rather you knew in advance than turned up and found out.
Room to do it your way
Our events can be loud, and they are social. That isn't easy for everyone. Some of it we can fix and some of it we can't, so here is what's actually true.
- You don't have to mingle. Nursing a drink quietly in a corner is a perfectly good way to spend a Den Night. Nobody will assume you're having a bad time.
- You can leave whenever you like. No goodbyes required, no explanation needed.
- There is more than one room. Loton Park has an indoor clubroom, a large open-air deck and a covered verandah, so there is always somewhere quieter to settle — or to have a proper one-on-one conversation without shouting over the room. Stepping away for ten minutes when it gets loud is unremarkable, and plenty of us do it.
- There's a quieter option. The board games afternoons are smaller, brighter and far less loud than a Den Night, and a game gives you something to do with your hands. Several of our members find them much easier to arrive at.
- Let a badge come to you. Committee members wear orange name badges. If you'd rather someone came over than work the room yourself, say so — that is literally their job.
- Neurodiversity is common here. Plenty of our members are neurodiverse. You don't have to disclose anything, explain anything, or mask to fit in.
Coming with support
Support workers and carers
If you attend with a support person or care worker, they come free of charge, at any event, regardless of their gender. Let us know at the door.
Assistance animals
Welcome. A heads-up beforehand helps us make sure there's somewhere sensible for them to settle.
Face masks
Available at the front desk for anyone who wants one. No questions, no fuss.
What things cost
Money shouldn't be the thing that keeps you out, so two of the three easiest ways in are free or close to it.
| Event | Members | Everyone else |
|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Board Games | Free | Free |
| Den Nights | Free | $5 at the door |
| Support workers and carers | Free | Free |
| Ticketed events | Member rate | See the event page |
If cost is what's stopping you, get in touch before you write an event off.
Tell us what we've missed
Anything on this page that doesn't match your experience, anything that would make coming easier, anything we simply haven't thought of. Requests for yourself and suggestions for everyone are equally welcome, and we would far rather hear from you than have you quietly stop coming.
Bears Perth meets on Whadjuk Noongar boodja. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the enduring connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country, culture and community.
