Meet Connor Michalchuk, North American Bear 2024
We round out our introductions to the 2024 North American Bear title family with Connor Michalchuk (he/him), the current reigning North American Bear. Connor grew up in Southern Rhode Island but has been a resident of Philadelphia since 2007. Get to know him below and see him in person at this year’s North American Bear Weekend taking place from February 20 to 23 in Lexington, KY.
BWM: What drew you to the bear community?
Connor Michalchuk (CM): When I was in the process of coming out in the mid 2000’s, I never saw queer men like me. It wasn’t until I was 21 and able to go to our local bear bar (shout out to The Bike Stop in Philly) that I started to see men who looked like me. I felt like I was finally part of a community. The local bear community not only accepted me for my physical characteristics but also allowed me to be myself. Whether that be kinky, silly, femme, loud or esoteric.
BWM: Tell us about your history with NAB and why it is so special to you personally.
CM: Years ago, my good friend Zach Palmer won Bear Hunter (2017) and he had such an amazing experience, I knew one day I wanted to go. So, I started competing locally and won a couple of titles (Mr. Good Judy 2019 and Delaware Bear 2023). And when my friend Lex Apro won North American Cub in 2023, I knew 2024 was going to be the year I competed. And when the theme (Mean Girls) was announced, I knew it was meant to be.
NAB is incredibly special to me for 3 reasons:
- Everyone is welcome. Outside of age, we welcome anyone who wants to be a part of the fun.
- When I competed for NAB, I knew I wanted to be authentic on stage. This meant wearing gowns, lipsyncing, rhinestoning everything and speaking from the heart. I’ve been to a lot of bear runs and this isn’t the norm. I will forever be grateful to NAB for not only celebrating me in my leathers, but also in my hanky code Sound of Music dress.
- There’s something for everyone. Want to spend the weekend relaxing and meeting new people? We got you. Want to cruise sexy people? Yup, we got that too.
BWM: What have been your proudest achievements as North American Bear over the last year.
CM: I knew for my year, I wanted to spread the word about NAB and attend as many bear/leather events as my finances and vacation time would allow. I was able to attend 10 major runs during my title year including Sitges Bear Week and Dublin Leather Weekend.
I’ve also been a part of several fundraisers this year helping to raise money for small charities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
And finally one of my proudest moments was helping a friend win his first title. Seeing him win and hold his patch for the first time made me full on ugly cry. I was such a proud papa and I’m sure I’ll feel the same way when I sash my successor.
BWM: Tell us about your platform. What was the issue(s) you addressed during your campaign to win and as titleholder.
CM: I am a firm believer in taking care of those who came before us.
One charity I’ve worked with is the Elder Initiative, providing education, socialization and housing help for queer people over the age of 60. These are some of the most overlooked people in our community and it’s important that we give them the help they need. We are all aging and we all deserve a chance to age with dignity. If you’re looking for an amazing charity that always needs help or funds, please look up your local SAGE Affiliate (https://www.sageusa.org) and ask how you can help.
BWM: What are your plans after stepping down? Will you continue competing?
CM: I’ve had so much fun as your North American Bear, but after stepping aside, I’m going to be taking some time relax, refocus and just be a civilian for a bit. I have a couple offers to judge and work behind the scenes for a few contests, so don’t worry, you’ll still see me around the circuit. Oh, and for any producers looking for a judge or an emcee, I work cheap and the jokes are dirtier than the floor of a dark room.
In the future, I think I’d be open to competing for a new title like Mayhem Leather Bear, World Bear or Philadelphia Leather.
BWM: Tell us what you love about the bear community?
CM: I love how accepting our community can be. You do not need to be a specific body type to fit in. You don’t need to be a man and you definitely don’t need to have a certain amount of hair. If you feel like a bear, if you are kind and if you love to eat, you belong.
BWM: What are some important issues you feel need to be addressed in the bear community?
CM: I think that sometimes we are the ones who stand in our own way. As a community we need to evolve beyond the idea that only certain body types are bears. I know so many women who are working so hard to keep the bear scene alive and making sure the next generation has the resources to grow the community even further. By closing the door on people who don’t fit a very specific mold, I’m worried our community will shrink and events will start to disappear. In the immortal words of my sash uncle Lex Apro “if you don’t believe women belong in these spaces, and you don’t believe trans people belong in these spaces… THERE’S THE DOOR”. In our community, everyone who enters with respect and a love of carbs is welcome.
Be sure to follow Connor Michalchuk, North American Bear 2024 on Facebook and Instagram.
