The government of the Swiss canton of Bern has officially rejected a proposal to alter the Bern heraldic bear, upholding a 600-year-old tradition over modern calls for gender neutrality. In Switzerland, one of the most unusual political debates of the season has concluded with the authorities ruling that the official bear will keep its penis and continue walking in its customary direction. The initiative to “neuter” the symbol for the sake of equality ended in total failure, according to a report by Swissinfo.
The Reform Proposal: Progress Requires Sacrifice
The proposal to “castrate” the heraldic animal was introduced by Thomas Brönnimann, a member of the cantonal parliament from the Green Liberal Party (glp). In his official request, Brönnimann argued that the current appearance of the beast no longer aligns with the spirit of the times. He proposed a radical solution: removing the bear’s sex organ. According to his logic, an anatomically neutral symbol would “better represent the entire population of the canton,” rather than just its male half.
The lawmaker also took issue with the animal’s route. He suggested that the bear currently appears to be walking “backwards.” As a symbol of inevitable social progress, the deputy wanted to flip the beast so that it would march from left to right, angled upward.
The Bernese Response: Bern Heraldic Bear Stays Put
The Bernese government reviewed the request and stood in defense of heraldic biology, issuing a categorical refusal on both points.
In their official explanation, officials provided the reform-minded deputy with a brief history lesson. It turns out that the bear’s bright red organ is not a random artistic whim but an unshakeable tradition dating back at least 600 years. This depiction of the beast has been canonical since the 15th century. Furthermore, heraldry uses a specific term for this type of color differentiation — gezotet — describing instances where an organ is colored differently from the rest of the figure.
Regarding the bear’s direction, the government countered that the animal has historically always faced from right to left. Officials emphasized that this is confirmed not only by ancient wax seals but also by antique Bernese coins. The beast will not be changing course to the “progressive right.”
Internet Voting Canceled
To put an end to the debate once and for all, the cantonal government refused to leave the fate of the bear’s anatomy to the public. The authorities have no intention of holding an online poll regarding the symbol’s future appearance.
The official response noted dryly and exhaustively that such a web vote would not be representative and would hold no evidentiary value. In other words, Bern deemed it unnecessary to trust the fate of a 600-year-old symbol to anonymous internet users. For further updates on European governance, visit Newsroomin.
Ultimately, the bear is keeping everything it has.
