Mathieu Chretien

Homer

We often look at men and think it's simple. This project is run by men and we think that all the time. But through conversations, through looking at (and being) men just that little bit longer, we've decided it's not. And what's more, it's not easy. You may be thinking we're "men's rights" folk, but we're not. We're "complicate masculinity for the greater good" folk. Yes, there's a patriarchy going on, and capitalism isn't helping curb anyone‘s impulse to be individualistic and competitive, but that doesn't mean men are an uncomplicated whole, or a set of sub-divided identities. There is no ‘real man,' no matter what he looks like. Masculinity is a fluid, contested thing, and people who aren't men have just as much say in creating the idea of what a ‘man' is as any of us. We think it's important to broaden ideas of what a role model for men looks like. That's going to mean men, women, young, old, straight, gay, brown, black, living with disabilities and much, much more. Homer is primarily about men stepping up to have this conversation together, but Homer invites and encourages writing from women, LGBTIQA writers and writers of all races and CALD backgrounds. The upshot? If even a single person leaves this site more confused about what it means to ‘be a man,' we will have succeeded. Through essays, op–eds, memoir, art, photography and more, Homer hopes to open masculinity up for discussion and lend some shades of grey (not that kind) to the idea of what makes anybody a man.