The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood

The Good Men Project is a website I revere. I've been reading articles from the site for so long, and only now am I getting around to purchasing the book that started it all. The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood  consists of 31 essays written by men. The website describes these men as, "Rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight, urban, rural, famous, ordinary—all writing about the challenges, obstacles, triumphs, failures, and defining moments they encounter."

The book launched on November 15, 2009 and it's reviews are still going strong.

The Good Men Project was founded by Tom Matlack in 2009 as an anthology and documentary film. The projects addressed the question of what it is to be a man. If it wasn't obvious before, it is certainly obvious through the stories presented in the book, documentary and website, that manhood and masculinity means something different for every man and even women.

Tom Matlack and his partner James Houghton eventually became inspired to create The Good Men Foundation which is nonprofit charitable corporation which seeks to help organizations that provide educational, social, financial, and legal support to men and boys at risk. To view some of the organizations that The Good Men Foundation supports, click here.

When you're finished reading the book, know that you can find daily posts on The Good Men Project website. If I can make a recommendation, I would seek out articles by Hugo Schwyzer. If you're new to the website and you're looking for a good place to start, this is it. I came across Schwyzer's personal blog years ago and have always enjoyed it from the first day I laid eyes on it. In February of this year, Schwyzer added The Good Men Project to his resume.

I love The Good Men Project because I believe that men need a voice. Being that patriarchy is so overwhelming it may seem strangest that I would suggest that men do not have a voice. The voice that men have within patriarchy is often unauthentic. It often lacks humility, vulnerability, unedited joy, and unbridled pain. We know that patriarchy hurts women. We need to pay attention to the fact that patriarchy hurts men.

The Good Men Project allows us to see men who do not fit into the stoic-machismo mold. The Good Men Project categories include, Gender, Sex & Education, Conflict, Ethics, Education, A&E (arts and entertainment), Dads, Fiction, and Sports.

To learn more about The Good Men Project visit the official website, here.
To purchase The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood, click here.
To learn more about The Good Men Foundation, click here.