From Reykjavík Bear to Mr. Bear Europe: Jóhann Takes Iceland’s Bear Pride Continental.
After being crowned the first-ever Mr. Reykjavík Bear, Jóhann Örn B. Benediktsson is taking Iceland’s bear pride beyond the island and onto the European stage. The Reykjavík titleholder is now in the running for Mr. Bear Europe 2026, where he hopes to bring a little Nordic visibility, a lot of community spirit, and, in his own words, some much-needed belly to the sash.
GayIceland caught up with Jóhann as voting opened to talk about representing Iceland, the joy of bear community, and why Reykjavík’s small-but-mighty scene deserves a place at the European table.
Voting for Mr. Bear Europe 2026 is open until July 5. Vote Here
GayIceland: For readers who don’t know you yet, who is Jóhann beyond the Mr. Reykjavík Bear sash?
“I am a 34-year-old chubby nerd from the north of Iceland. I grew up on a farm with sheep and horses and moved to Reykjavík with my family before starting high school. I went to university in both Reykjavík and Toulouse in France, and now I work as a director of finance and operations at Mímir símenntun, which is a school specialising in further education and teaching Icelandic. I also own a small consulting company where I do financial analytics and corporate consultancy, and assist individuals with investments or financial difficulties. I dedicate much of my free time to my love of music, playing the piano and accordion, and singing with the Reykjavík Queer Choir. I live in Reykjavík with my partner and two cats.”
GayIceland: What did winning Mr. Reykjavík Bear 2025 mean to you personally?
“Wow, it was such an amazing feeling. Not only was it a validation of my work, it was showing me that the community trusted me to represent them for the ongoing year. I kind of had no idea what I was getting myself into, because we didn’t have a previous winner here in Reykjavík, but it has been everything that I’ve hoped for and more. The amazing people I’ve been able to meet, and the things I’ve been able to learn, I will carry with me forever.”
I have so much to thank the bear community for. It’s where I found my chosen family and got my confidence.
GayIceland: How did it feel to go from representing Reykjavík locally to now representing Iceland on the Mr. Bear Europe stage?
“I feel very proud to represent our little island. It’s been amazing to feel the support and care from the community, both from the bears and from our allies. The national queer association, the mainstream media, well-known individuals and even companies have been showing support for my campaign by sharing content, voting, and sending me beautiful messages of support. It has been amazing to witness how tight-knit our community can be when we come together. Of course it is a giant stage for a small nation, but I’ve got plenty of presence to fill it, so I think we will be fine.”
GayIceland: Why is it important for Iceland to have visibility in an otherwise continental contest?
“By competing, I like to think the Icelandic bear community is claiming space at the European table, and this will hopefully inspire our neighbours to do the same. The Nordics have very thriving bear communities which have flown under the radar for some time. Being, as far as I know, the only reigning Mister Bear in the Nordic countries, I wish to bring that awareness and interest to not only Iceland, but also our neighbours.”
GayIceland: What does the bear community mean to you, and what role has it played in your own queer life?
“I have so much to thank the bear community for. It’s where I found my chosen family and got my confidence. I had my first “formal” introduction to the bear community after Covid, when I went to my first Reykjavík Bear event, and decided to go straight into volunteering. It was one of the most liberating feelings I’ve ever experienced. I wasn’t totally ready to come out of my shell, but since then I’ve never looked back. I’ve been an avid member of the community and volunteered at every event since then. It’s the biggest reason why I’ve taken this year as Mr. Reykjavík Bear by the horns and tried to do as much as I can for the community, both locally and internationally.”
GayIceland: Iceland has a small but visible queer community. What do you think makes the local bear scene special?
“What I love about our little bear community is how varied we are. We come from many different countries, are at different stages of our lives and have different body types, but we have this common ground, identify as or have admiration for bears. We build on that and try our hardest to make sure that we all feel welcome, we stand by each other and we have fun together. We make sure we are visible and have a voice in the queer society, and last year at Reykjavík Pride, we had the biggest float of the parade; it was amazing.”
GayIceland: Bear culture is often about body positivity, chosen family, visibility, and joy. Which of those feels most important to you right now, and why?
“Ouf, they all mean so much to me, do I have to choose only one? Well, then I will have to pick joy, for the sole reason that it binds all of the other attributes together. When I feel positive about my body, I feel joy; when I am around my chosen family, I feel joy; and when I am allowed to be myself without hiding myself, I feel joy. Having had to hide myself for a lot of years, the fact that I can now take pride in myself and present to the world as my true authentic self, is the most joyous thing I could think of in this world.”
I wholeheartedly believe that, through our differences, we can find strength and a common ground for all our communities to thrive together.
GayIceland: If you are chosen as Mr. Bear Europe 2026, what would you want to bring to the title?
“It sounds like a cliché to go for the whole “I want to bring Europe closer” spiel, but that is honestly what I want to do. I want there to be greater discussions within delegations and bear organisations throughout Europe, so we can learn from each other, using our best attributes and know-how to grow together as a unified European community. I wholeheartedly believe that, through our differences, we can find strength and a common ground for all our communities to thrive together. I also think I can bring some belly to the title, whereas we have not seen a lot of chubsters being represented within the Mr. Bear Europe title. BRING ON THE BELLIES!”
GayIceland: For people reading this who might not know you personally, why should they vote for you, and where can they do it?
“The bear community means a lot to me, and has helped raise me up in so many ways. In that same way I have been trying to raise others, not only by being a sash holder, but before that, as an avid member of this community. Win or lose, I will do what I love to do: being a part of this community and trying to help my fellow bears to find their place within it. In my year as Mr. Reykjavík Bear I’ve tried my best to show the European communities the variety and kindness the Icelandic bear community has to offer, and will continue to do so, with or without the Mr. Bear Europe sash. That being said, I think I would look pretty good with that sash.
If you want to support me on my journey of becoming the next and the first Nordic Mister Bear Europe, you can cast your vote until the 5th of July Here“