Meet Dr. Kevin Thurlow-Criss, Mr. Brighton Bear 2021

6th August 2021 Kyle Jackson

Mr. Brighton Bear 2021 is here!

The 10th annual LIVE Brighton Bear Weekend, one of the UK’s biggest Bear events, happened from Thursday, July 22 through Sunday, July 25. One of the most anticipated parts of the weekend is the Mr. Brighton Bear Contest.

This year’s winner is Dr. Kevin Thurlow-Criss. We recently had a chat with Kevin about how it feels to be Mr. Brighton Bear 2021, and his plans to combat body facism in the Bear community.

Kyle Jackson: Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Dr. Kevin Thurlow-Criss: I am currently 52 years old, gay man (bear) living in the UK. I was born and raised in South East London and lived in the area most of my life. I recently moved from London to the South Coast – Brighton following the death of my Mother at the end of 2020.

I went to a secondary school in the UK and then went on to university where I obtained my degree, two masters degrees and two doctorates (one medical and one management). I now work as a National Operations Director/Head of Science and Medicine for a private company in the UK. I live with my Huscub ‘JJ’ and my two dogs, Freddy the Mini-Doxie and Cranky the Pug.

In my spare time, apart from walking the dogs, enjoying the beach and seaside where I live as well as the thriving gay/bear community, I teach Karate. I started Shotokan Karate in 1975 at the age of 6 and have been training and teaching ever since. I am currently a 7^th Dan black belt and International A Class Instructor, Examiner and Referee with clubs in the South East of London, a new LGBT club in Brighton where I live and also a club in Budapest Hungary.

KJ: How did you find the Bear community?

KTC: I came out when I was 16, and when I was old enough to hit the scene in London, I did. However, the scene back then seemed to be dominated by young, skinny, perfect looking guys and I didn’t feel that I had any place in the gay community being a large hairy guy.

I therefore kept myself to myself and spent many years away from the scene – that was until a friend introduced me to a club in London called Bulk (no longer there) that was the first every club for bears, chubs, cubs and their admirers. It was a total eye opener and from them on, I felt that I had a place within the gay community and felt safe in an environment surrounded by similar guys and guys that found me attractive as with many people in the 80’s I didn’t like how I looked as the media made you think that large and hairy was not desirable at all. I now embrace who I am, what I look like and am an active supporter and participant of the bear community.

KJ: When/why did you decide to enter the Brighton Bear contest?

KTC: I decided to enter the competition for various reasons. Firstly, as I said above, I have finally accepted who I am, what I look like and I feel very comfortable in my skin and as an individual. So I entered the competition, I suppose as some kind of validation of how I felt.

Secondly, the competition was an event for a very worthwhile charity here in Brighton –- the Brighton Rainbow Fund –- a charity that gives grants to LGBTQ+ groups to help them carry out their critical work in the community. This is a very worthy cause and one I was happy to support and be part of.

Finally, I took the opportunity of the competition to meet new people and make new friends as myself and my Huscub have only lived in the area for around two months.

KJ: What was the best part about participating in the contest?

KTC: The whole competition was brilliant. The best bit, I think was meeting some great people, the organisers, the other competitors and the many people that turned up to the event who I have now formed friendships with.

Obviously winning was a great moment too as was taking part in the fashion show and bearing all (well almost all) to hundreds of cheering event goers – with a large number of “woofs” and “grrrrs” !

KJ: What are your goals for your title year?

KTC: My primary goal for the year is to be the best ambassador to the Bear community in Brighton that I can be. I intend to attend all Bear and Pride related events and help where I can in raising money for not only the Brighton Rainbow Fund but any other local LGBTQ+ groups that need help.

I would like to raise the profile of the Bear community in Brighton too which has already started with the Brighton Bear Weekend appearing in a number of local papers. Linking and making contact with other “Mr. Bear” winners would also be something I would like to do. Further growing my LGBTQ+ Karate school would also be something I want to do to help provide a safe space for member of the Bear and LGBTQ+ community to learn self-defence and develop confidence and self-esteem.

KJ: What are some important issues you think need to be addressed in the Bear community?

KTC: I think that the one issue that still needs to be addressed within the Bear community (which is reflected in the gay and non-gay community too) is body fascism. My personal definition of a Bear is generally someone who identifies as male and has a large body size with lots and lots of fur! There are still those within the Bear community that frown on and are generally offensive to the larger bears or are offensive to those Bears that maybe a little feminine in their persona –- thus not meeting the “standard specification/look” of what they feel a bear should be.

The other issue I think should be addressed is the one that I felt when I was younger and is linked to the fascism point above which is doing all I can to make other large guys feel part of a community, feel that they are desired and do have a place in the LGBTQ+ community.

At the competition I spoke to a number of bears who I felt were extremely attractive who said they would never enter a competition like this as they were “ugly” and would “never get anywhere”. This is a sad thing to hear, but I have been there and understand where they are coming from, but that should be a feeling of the past and not one of the 21^st Century.