I Choose the Bear

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LISTENING: to music :)
FEELING: excited to start swimming class again
SEEING: the gorgeous fall sun shine through my window

CW: This post includes mention of sexual assault.

It's the end of Fat Bear Week, a time bears get thick in preparation for winter (and we get to relish in the silliness of it all), but all I can think about is Jane Doe and the Cornell Seven. I'm reminded again why so many women would choose to be alone in a forest with a bear over a man.

Jane Doe, an unnamed survivor, filed a civil lawsuit alleging that seven current and former members of the Chi Phi fraternity drugged, assaulted, and gang raped her in 2024. The New York District Attorney's Office reopened the case this week given the public outcry.

This news might not seem to connect to climate or environmental justice, but women's rights — and the right to our bodies and well-being — are always a climate and environmental justice issue. The patriarchy keeps us oppressed, treating women's bodies as something disposable. It's that same system that exploits and pollutes Mother Earth. These powerful men take what they believe is theirs without regard for the trauma they leave behind.

So, yeah — I choose the bear.

The bear won't sexualize a Yessenia who still has no idea what sex even is. The bear won't catcall me from the window of their car. It won't follow me on the street in the middle of the night. It won't force its arm around me on a bus while bystanders sit idly by. The bear won't manipulate me into giving up my virginity before I'm ready. To throw me aside after I say no.

Men have done all these things to an underage me.

Bears, on the other hand, seek food, mates, safety for their cubs, and not much else. I find a lot of joy watching bear videos on my TikTok feed: bears opening car doors or lounging in people's pools or being bullied by cats. Sometimes, I'll even check out the live cams at Katmai National Park in Alaska to see bears in action without the disruption of humans. Most of the time, they're lounging around and eating fish. What a life.

I learned lots about bears during my time at Earther/Gizmodo, where we covered Fat Bear Week every year. This annual tournament showcases how chonky the bears of Katmai National Park become ahead of winter hibernation as they feast on salmon. Those stories always brought in a ton of readers, and I see why. Bears are lowkey adorable. Seeing them go from shabby, hungry beasts to giant fluffy teddy bears is awesome in the truest sense of the word.

This year, more than 2.5 million votes were recorded in Fat Bear Week, deeming Backpack the 2026 champion. Bear 89, as he's technically called, gained the nickname from his cub days when he would ride on his mother's back.

I've never seen a bear in the wild. Encounters are on the rise, likely a result of humans encroaching on bear habitat. So maybe I will soon enough. How would I react? Would I stand tall and raise my arms to scare it away? Would I freeze in shock? Would I feel fear or wonder? Awe?

I do know how I'd react to a man in the wild. I'd avoid eye contact and give a short, simple smile if I must. I'd let him pass. Probably leave if he lingered a second too long. I wouldn't feel wonder. I'd feel fear — a fear I know all too well. Because mothers teach their daughters from before we even have breasts to be careful.

To not run around in our skirts. To not expose our shoulders. To never be alone with a man. 🌀

Currently Reading

I lead the editing over at Neighbors: A Living Infrastructure Magazine. This week, we published a story about the wildlife crossing set to open in L.A. later this year. Devon Provo is a voice to watch in this space!

I'm a huge fan of Defector. Much of the team there is my old co-workers, and they're some of the best writers on the internet. This time, I'm sharing a piece by Sophie Abromowitz about the new "Resident Evil" movie and its parallels to addiction. A must-read for gamers like me.

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- Yessenia x