Portland-based photographer Matthew Dean Stewart has begun a project questioning the idea of masculinity.

According to Gay Star News, Matthew spent 2017 traveling through America and photographing hundreds of people, primarily gay men, striving to photograph anybody “who is different and creative and wants to challenge what society expects of us.”

He has since launched a Kickstarter campaign to help him finance the latest project: a book called Fragile Masculinity. “The idea for this project came out of a constant frustration of seeing how society separates men and women,” he said.

“No matter what country, we each have specific things we are ‘supposed’ to do according to societal standards. So the question ‘who told us that it was supposed to be this way?’ always comes into my mind, and my work.”

@soulninja for my first book entitled “Fragile Masculinity” focusing on gender roles in our society and what it means to be a “Man.” And how clothing should not have a gender. Please take the time to check out my Kickstarter to raise funds to get this book printed. Over 100 pages with 60 photos of 30 men from 5 different cities in the US. Plus illustrations, poems and creative writings from all over the world!!! Link to the kickstarter is in my bio!

A post shared by Matthew Dean Stewart (@matthewdeanstewart) on Dec 23, 2017 at 10:41am PST

@nicologentile for my first book entitled “Fragile Masculinity” focusing on gender roles in our society and what it means to be a “Man” please take the time to check out my Kickstarter to raise funds to get this book printed. Over 100 pages with 60 photos of 30 men from 5 different cities in the US. Plus illustrations, poems and creative writings from all over the world!!! Link to the kickstarter is in my bio!

A post shared by Matthew Dean Stewart (@matthewdeanstewart) on Dec 17, 2017 at 2:45pm PST

@___pourhomme for my first book entitled “Fragile Masculinity” focusing on gender roles in our society and what it means to be a “Man.” And how clothing should not have a gender. Please take the time to check out my Kickstarter to raise funds to get this book printed. Over 100 pages with 60 photos of 30 men from 5 different cities in the US. Plus illustrations, poems and creative writings from all over the world!!! Link to the kickstarter is in my bio!

A post shared by Matthew Dean Stewart (@matthewdeanstewart) on Dec 25, 2017 at 8:23am PST