Meet Jóhann Örn B. Benediktsson: financial wizard by day, Mr. Reykjavík Bear by… well, also by day, because this guy doesn’t stop.
After being crowned the first-ever titleholder at this year’s Reykjavík Bear festival, Jóhann’s inbox exploded with invites, applause, and global attention. But behind the glitter and glory is a deeply grounded, community-driven bear who’s all about body positivity, activism, and a damn good Excel doc. We sat down with Jóhann to talk pageants, chosen family, and what it means to step into a space, and a sash, with pride.
GayIceland: Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself, what do you do for work? Where are you from? What are your hobbies?
Jóhann Örn: “I’m a 33 year old farm boy from the north of Iceland, more specifically Miðfjörður. I work as director of finance and operations at Mímir Símenntun, which is the biggest continued education school for adults in Iceland. It specialises in teaching immigrants and refugees Icelandic, and helping them to adjust to life in Iceland. I also have my own company in consulting, where I am doing financial analytics and corporate consulting for Icelandic businesses. I also try to help as many individuals in financial difficulties as I can to help them get their finances in order.
I am engaged to Magnús Bjarni Gröndal, who works as the operations manager for the National Queer association of Iceland, Samtökin ’78, and we live together in downtown Reykjavík.
My Instagram crashed, I got messages from all over the world, I got invited to compete in the Mr. Bear Europe contest, and I got an invitation to 13 festivals in 11 countries in a matter of two days. It was very exciting, but I had no idea about the scale of this.
I have always been interested in learning languages and travelling. I have, to a different extent, learnt nine languages, even though I’m not fluent in all of them. I love meeting new people, learning about different cultures and experiencing cultural differences around the world.
I try to immerse myself as much as I can in queer culture, both in Iceland and abroad. I am the treasurer and tenor in the Reykjavík Queer Choir, a proud member of the Bears association of Iceland (Bangsafélagið), and I volunteer for the Reykjavík Bear festival and I’m a member of the National Queer association of Iceland, Samtökin ’78.”
GayIceland: How did it feel to be crowned the first-ever Mr. Reykjavík Bear?
Jóhann Örn: “It felt really liberating and gratifying, but also very overwhelming. I had only focused on the competition itself, and I forgot to think “then what?”. My Instagram crashed, I got messages from all over the world, I got invited to compete in the Mr. Bear Europe contest, and I got an invitation to 13 festivals in 11 countries in a matter of two days. It was very exciting, but I had no idea about the scale of this. I now have 19 festivals that I have to decide if I am going to or not.”
GayIceland: What made you decide to enter the competition? Did you need convincing or were you all in from the start?
Jóhann Örn: “I had no intention to apply to enter the competition. It was in the back of my mind that I would love to, but my lack of confidence held me back. However, my partner and my friends were constantly helping me and encouraging me to push my limits and go out of my comfort zone. I sat down, did some planning, put every outfit and act into an Excel spreadsheet, and finished my application for the contest around 7 minutes before the deadline.”
He has been my biggest supporter and cheerleader throughout this process. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do any of this, and would not have this sash today, if it wasn’t for him
GayIceland: What did your partner think about you taking part?
Jóhann Örn: “He has been my biggest supporter and cheerleader throughout this process. He has helped me every step of the way, planned outfits with me, kept me motivated and positive, and even took the entire week of Reykjavík Bear off work, to help with planning and organising for the event. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do any of this, and would not have this sash today, if it wasn’t for him.”
GayIceland: What was the vibe like backstage or during the contest itself? Any standout moments?
Jóhann Örn: “It was a bit stressful, but we were always in good spirits. We needed to have four outfit changes, plus to plan for our talent show, having sometimes only around 4 minutes on the schedule to change clothes. We had amazing volunteers backstage from Reykjavík Bear, who made sure that everything ran smoothly. Shoutout to the backstage volunteers Michael and Ormur, who were really the stars of the show, making sure we all looked good, and didn’t go naked on stage (which was a disappointment for some).”
GayIceland: What does being a bear mean to you, personally?
Jóhann Örn: “Being a bear is more to me than being a specific body type. It is a community of acceptance, respect and happiness. When I started to go to bear events, I immediately fell in love with the society and the people in it. The amount of smiles, laughs, hugs and support was contagious. There I found a chosen family that made me feel that I was amazing just the way I am. I felt the validation and warmth that I had been looking for, for a long time.”
GayIceland: Now that you’re Mr. Reykjavík Bear, do you have plans for the ‘reign’? Any messages, causes, or projects you’d like to spotlight?
Jóhann Örn: “My plan is to use this year to the fullest, to advocate for the Icelandic bear society, support the queer society in Iceland in every way that I can, and to raise awareness for body positivity. Life is way too short to dislike the way you look or who you are.
The highlight of this year, other than winning Mr. Reykjavík bear of course, was going to Budapest for their pride parade. It was the most amazing, and scary, day I have ever experienced.
For the last couple of years I’ve tried my best to help raise awareness and support for the queer community. The highlight of this year, other than winning Mr. Reykjavík bear of course, was going to Budapest for their pride parade. As many of us know our queer siblings in Hungary have been having a hard time, and the Hungarian parliament banned all assembly that “promoted” queerness and the LGBT+ society. They threatened fines and prosecution for attending, but the queer society of Hungary held their own and made the march happen. I, along with five others from the National Queer Association (Samtökin ‘78), flew to Hungary to support their cause. It was the most amazing, and scary, day I have ever experienced. There, the whole world saw what magical things the queer community can do, if we come together in solidarity. Around 200.000 people showed up in support and it was just magical.
I plan to travel to as many places as my time and wallet allows, but I have planned five trips to bear events abroad already, with more to come, and then of course finish my “reign” by crowning the next Reykjavík Bear at the festival, which will be held from the 3rd to the 6th of September 2026.”
GayIceland: Have you always felt welcome in bear spaces, or was it something you grew into?
Jóhann Örn: “The biggest challenge for me when I was first entering bear spaces was my own head. I felt out of place and I felt less than, even though the guys there gave me no reason to feel that way. However, when I had fully accepted myself and the people around me, I found my home. It can be an overwhelming feeling, being from such a small place as Iceland to enter foreign bear spaces with hundreds or even thousands of bears, but I fully enjoy it. Whenever I walk into a bear or queer space, I feel a sense of relief and comfort, I’m home.”
Be kind, respect others and show empathy. What makes the world a beautiful place is that we are all different, with different expectations, aspirations and experiences.
GayIceland: What would you say to someone who’s never been to a bear event but is curious about coming to Reykjavík Bear?
Jóhann Örn: “Bear events are as diverse as they are many. You can find parties, tours, giant venues, beach holidays etc, but also you can find more personal ones. I would say that Reykjavík Bear is in a special league of bear events. By coming on the full experience of Reykjavík bear, the volunteers make sure that everyone is seen, heard and welcomed individually. The events take you to some of the most beautiful places in Iceland, whilst giving you time to socialize and get to know everyone on a personal level. With around 100 foreign guests and up to 25 volunteers every year, they make sure that you, whether you travel solo or with a group, will have the best time in this experience. I love the personal feel of the festival, being able to get to know so many people, and extend my circle of likeminded people.”
GayIceland: Lastly, in true pageant style: what’s your message to the world?
Jóhann Örn: “That’s a hard one, I’d have to say April 25th. No, just kidding.
What I want my message to the world to be is quite simple, be kind, respect others and show empathy. What makes the world a beautiful place is that we are all different, with different expectations, aspirations and experiences. Lastly, but most importantly, protect our trans brothers and non-binary siblings, protect the dolls, end the wars, stop the bombing and free Palestine.”