“The Good Men Project is a glimpse of what enlightened masculinity might look like in the 21st century,” the press raved when we launched, and that was exactly what we were hoping for. Finally, “a cerebral, new media alternative” to glossy men’s magazines was born. In fact, The Good Men Project is not so much a magazine as a social movement; an ongoing in-depth discussion that has by now involved millions of people, all getting back to a core question of “what does it mean to be a good man in these modern times?”.

The Good Men Project was founded by Tom Matlack in 2009 as an anthology and documentary film featuring men’s stories about the defining moments in their lives. The original, modest goal, was to tell stories about men that “changed the writer and changed the reader.” In the process, it became apparent that this book was fostering a much-needed cultural conversation about manhood. The Good Men Foundation was set up, and proceeds from the book were used to support organizations that help at-risk boys. The Good Men Project has since grown into a diverse, multi-faceted media company and an idea-based social platform.

Twenty-first century masculinity needs thought leaders. We are letting The Good Men Project community be those thought leaders. It is our community that will help define the future of manhood. We don’t define what good is, we don’t even define what a man is. We are the catalyst for discussion so that men and women both can come to insights that will help them navigate this changing world in a way that is most helpful.

As one writer put it recently, traditional men’s media is “idealized Edens of irresponsibility, hedonism, wistful dreaming, places where all the women are gorgeous and underdressed, all the booze is top-shelf and on the house, and life’s greatest challenges involve nothing more pressing than how to infuse your pocket squares with a little more rebel attitude.” In fact, when we were starting out we were often warned: “It won’t work—men don’t read, and a website for men without scantily-clad women will never fly.” Our success to date is just one example of how wrong stereotypes about men can be.

At The Good Men Project, we explore the world of men and manhood in a way that no media company ever has. We are not afraid to tackle the tough subjects: pornography, war, race, politics, thoughtful sex, psychology, aging, and a brand new form of fatherhood. We are not afraid to invite our community into the conversation at every step of the way. Our content reflects the multidimensionality of men — we are alternatively funny and serious, provocative and thoughtful, earnest and light-hearted. We search far and wide for new stories and new voices from “the front lines of modern manhood.”  And we do it without moralizing and without caricaturizing our audience; we let guys be guys, but we do it while challenging confining cultural notions of what a “real man” must be.

Guys today are neither the mindless, sex-obsessed buffoons nor the stoic automatons our culture so often makes them out to be. Our community is smart, compassionate, curious, and open-minded; they strive to be good fathers and husbands, citizens and friends, to lead by example at home and in the workplace, and to understand their role in a changing world. The Good Men Project is a place where that happens. We’re glad to have you along for the ride.