The Carebear Initiative

Building a bear collective for LGBTQIA+ solidarity and care

Showing how much the bears care

Bears are often presented as an inclusive community. Historically, the community was indeed developed as a safe space against body shaming and ageism within gay culture. We have often been embracing and celebrating a variety of body types, gender expressions and origins within our members.

Yet, we have to acknowledge that, in many instances, this inclusivity lies more on the side of discourse than concrete actions. Racism, misogyny, transphobia and body-shaming still exist in many bear communities, if only through individual actions or words. More generally, this xenophobia is very much at play through our LGBT and Belgian society, yet we rarely if ever see bears actively showing up against it. If we want to be known as the community of care and inclusivity, we have to do something about it.

Introducing the Carebears

I know for a fact that many Belgian bears have big hearts and would be willing to help if given the chance. Because we know what it feels like to be judged and excluded from the LGBT community for how we look, we know what type of wounds that leaves. But it’s not always easy: Who to go to to give a hand? How to do so in an efficient and safe way? What help would I even be just by myself?

1) To foster an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment within bear spaces

Whether it’s at a party or a busy bar, the Carebears, by being trained and recognizable, will be available to help whoever needs a hand or a hug. This could mean helping a lonely and shy person engage conversation and socialize with others; Hearing out victims of aggressions or discriminations so they don’t stay unaddressed; Guiding someone who had a drink or a pill too much towards the right services; Or simply insuring a warm presence minorities and people at risk know they can trust in case anything happened, to actively show how community cares for their safety and comfort.

2) To give logistical help to LGBTQIA+ collective in need

Outside of party spaces, the Carebears will be in touch with LGBTQIA+ associations and collectives who need a hand. Because so many queer collectives lack resources and disappear because they need to focus both on the heart of their action, and everything logistical around it. Thus the Carebears will be available to help out for setting up tents and stage for an event; to batch cook for big gatherings, like a transkids summer camp, or an association general assembly; to give company to LGBT elderly in retirement homes…
This is also an open and collective project, so those initiatives will be received and discussed within the group, depending on availability and what we want to do.

Learning from queer and feminist spaces

The Carebears don’t come from nowhere. Feminist and queer spaces have a long history of setting up temporary Carebear groups to insure safety and inclusivity within events. This is why the Carebears will be trained by the feminist association A Nous la Nuit who specialized in setting up such groups.

A Nous la Nuit was created in 2022, following a series of sexist aggressions within Belgian bars and party spaces. They have since then evolved as an important pedagogical actor within the Belgian nightlife, helping major spaces like the KulturA, the Théâtre de Liège or La Nature Festival to develop inclusive and safe practices.

In that sense, the Carebear also aims to actively strengthen the LGBTQIA+ community and the links between its different populations. We learn from feminist and queer experiences to foster inclusivity within gay spaces and are committed to concretely enact the idea that there is no LGB without TQIA+.

This only works if you show up

This initiative can seem daunting. 

Maybe you’re thinking: 

“This is a lovely idea, too bad I would never have the time for all of that!” 

Or: “Too bad I don’t have the skills to do that!”

This is precisely why this is a collective. We will not ask you more than you can give: come for a day a year, or two, or ten. Samewise, being a Carebear doesn’t require any specific skill but a big heart and the willingness to help out and care for others.

So, if you trust in this project, do come and participate in the efforts. Because this is an impossible task for just one bear, but a fairly simple one if enough of us put even just a little time towards it.

Pavel, Mr Bear Belgium 2026

How is it going to work? – 2026 year plan

The roll-out of the Carebear Initiative consists of 5 steps which will be developed through 2026.

1/ The Carebear campaign

Starting December 2025, an online and press campaign is launched for a duration of three months. This campaign aims to:

1) recruit volunteer bears around Belgium,

2) list and connect with associations and groups who would like some help.

This campaign will also be unrolling through in-person events in various Belgian cities. This will be the occasion to meet, ask questions and discuss in more details what could be.

2/ Building the Carebear community

Through those events and monthly workshops that will follow, we will discuss as a group in more details as what the Carebears should do, how we want to do it and for who. The outcome of those meetings will ideally be a chart of values and goals we want to pursue in service of others.

3/ The Carebear program

Approximatively in April, a training will be conducted for all available Carebears in partnership with A Nous la Nuit. This training will focus on inclusive and safe practise and language, on one hand, and on what a Carebear can and can’t do safely and legally to be efficient, on the other.

4/ Carebears in action

Before the Summer of 2026, the Carebear will attend their first event and provide their service. Depending on opportunities, availability and willingness of the group, we will repeat this in various spaces within Belgium through the Summer.

5/ Reviews and feedback

By the time of the Belgium Bear Pride (October 2026), the group will have met to assess the results of the actions. The principle is to collect feedback and adapt the recruitment, training and services depending on what seems right and needed for the group and those we want to help.

Information, recruitment and contacts:

Any person interested in the Carebears, be it to simply participate in the discussion or to actively become a Carebear, is invited to fill in the following form and will be contacted shortly.

Recruitment form (eng):

https://forms.gle/WZWXXVA7PsdGu3sX9

If you have any question, remarks or feedbacks, please reach out through:

Mail : thecarebearinitiative@gmail.com

Photography : Maune