LGBTQ SeriesDaddy LessonsExplores How Big & Hairy Became Hot and the Surprising Origins of Modern Gay Slang

Mar. 15, 2025

There are certain bits of information that kids today shouldn’t expect to learn in school — like how to pick the perfect mango, whether UFO’s really exist, or why the names of so many country’s capital cities begin with the letter B (Belgrade, Berlin, Budapest, Buenos Aires…).

But when it comes to LGBTQ history, the gay dating app Grindr wants to ensure that queer adults have a small fountain of knowledge at their disposal. That’s why they’re launching a new eight-part documentary seriesDaddy Lessons(not to be confused with theBeyoncé song of the same name).

Beginning on Oct. 8,Daddy Lessons, which celebrates LGBTQ+ History Month in October, began its month-long rollout. Two new one-minute-or-so–long episodes — covering everything from “The Hanky Code” to “Gay Codes,” with a “Disco Demolition” thrown in — will drop every week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, throughout October.

For anyone who has been wondering how a bear went from being a big, hairy creature with massive teeth to being a beefy, hairy and usually older gay man, this is your month to find out.

Joe Silver (left) and Clayton Littlewood.Grindr

Grindr

“If you like your men big, hairy and with a whole lot to grab, then welcome to the world of bears,” the episode begins, before explaining that initially, the type of men categorized as “bears,” a term that came into widespread usage in the gay community in the ’80s, were often formerly muscle-bound hunks who had aged out of daily trips to the gym.

“We’re here to get gay history across in a way that’s fun, accessible and true to our experiences,“Daddy Lessonshost Clayton Littlewood explains in his bio on the Grindr website.

“I come from a generation of survivors. AIDS decimated my generation in the ’80s and ’90s. For those of us left, it’s time to give back. It’s time to tell our stories. To keep our history alive.”

Daddy Lessonsis available to view on Instagram, YouTube Shorts and TikTok.

source: people.com