Why The Good Men Project is a movement I had to join.
—–
A movement to make the world a better a place. And a fantastic place to help to make me a better person.
What I have been told all my life:
“Men will still be men.”
“Teach men how to communicate, they’ll learn how to dominate.”
“Teach men how to cook, they’ll learn how to make barbecue once a year.”
I have never been confortable with what I was supposed to be. Or do. As a man.
♦◊♦
They told me:
“Women are better at cleaning. They are just interested in that and we’re not”.
“There is a special relationship between a mother and her children. We can’t do anything about that. We’ll always come after the mother in the children’s minds”.
It was the model. My father’s model. My friend’s, teacher’s, coach’s models.
♦◊♦
I grew up as a solid macho-man. Tolerant and friendly. But strongly based in hegemonic masculinity. Without any conscience of it, of course. I was just doing what the model wanted me to do.
And I did well. A football player. A soldier. A protecting brother. Strong as a stone. Fearless. Never cried.
Then I became a police officer and a husband. Proud. So proud of myself.
But I always felt that all of this was a game. I was in the winning team, good for me. But I didn’t agree with those rules. It didn’t matter.
Finally, everything changed. Why?
Then I became a police officer and a husband. Proud. So proud of myself.
|
1. I decided to become a father.
And suddenly the rules I was following without thinking about them had a new importance, in my identity as a father and in the education I wanted to give to my children. Equality has always been important. But has never been a cause for me. I was in the winning team. That had to be discussed now. I had to find my own way. Techniques, ideas, new references.
2. I discovered some places where masculinity was a subject of conversation between men themselves. Where stereotypes and roles were discussed without extremism or utopia. The Good Men Project is the center of it. That was my place. I can write my stories, ask questions, help others and receive help to get better without losing anything. I discovered the conversation no one else is having that was exactly about what I always wanted to talk about.
The Good Men Project has millions of readers. And a lot of them get in the conversation, share their thoughts. Here’s an example. A fantastic article about that is actually designed to change the stereotypes about men an adultery. See the numbers!
Thanks to The Good Men Project, I can share my thoughts, my doubts and learn with my peers what I can do to be a man looking for equality. And freedom for everyone.
Men around the world talk about how we could raise kids with another model. How we could build healthy relationships with friends, women, family and children.
What is written here doesn’t exist anywhere else and is not in anyway part of the education process. It is learning from the start, how we could be better. For ourselves. And for the others.
♦◊♦
Becoming a member of The Good Men Project is being part of that revolution. And supporting it. Building a huge community here gives an answer to an old doubt: men can improve. Hell yes! And we can change the world to make it a better place.
It’s not about doling out lessons. It is about growing up together, helping each other to find a way to raise better kids, build better families and communities according to a new deal: good men do exist and there are more of them everyday.
Be a part of it.
We do need your help — in a very tangible, easy way. We are looking for people to become Premium Members of The Good Men Project — who can help support all the stories we tell, and help us change the current narrative around men into one that explores the complex multi-dimensionality that is men.
In return for an annual members, our Premium Members get to help change the stories — that is our mission. And you can choose your level of memberships — $5, $20 or $50.
Here are some of the tangible benefits:
- At the $5 per year level, you get access to weekly calls with the publisher, a commenting badge, your name on our Friends of The Good Men Project page and access to our exclusive Facebook group.
- At the $20 per year level, you get all that PLUS access to ONE class and ONE Social Interest Group. Plus you get to see the site ad-free.
- At the $50 per year level, you get an ALL ACCESS PASS. Everything above, plus you can attend ALL classes and ALL Social interest Groups. And yes, the site remains ad-free.
Ready to sign up? (or if you want to read more about the specific benefits for each level, read about them here.)