A CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS:

Shifting Gears: Photos and Stories About Men’s Relationships
A project by Deborah Halpern, Robert Heasley and Neal Wecker

We are interested in interviewing and photographing men who are in an emotionally close relationship with another male to add to our photo narrative project. Our intent is to capture the types of close male relationships that may exist between men privately, but are often not publicly displayed. By documenting and sharing images and stories of positive intimacy between males, we hope to inspire men to boldly explore the many possible relationships they could be having with other men. In addition we believe our project will nurture the needed public and cultural support and acceptance men need to feel the freedom for such relationships.

Shifting Gears  has already been in on display in several states and in Germany and Mexico. We are hoping to expand it and spread it to the rest of the world!  There is also talk about turning the project into a book.

Men in emotionally close friendships are asked to participate. We are looking for such close relationships among teens, young adults, adult and older males, including close relationships between straight males, gay and straight, and gay/bisexual and trans-males. Of particular interest are males from a range of ages and ethnicities.

This project is intended to capture the images, stories and experiences of males who find deep connection with another male, exhibited through an ability to rely on each other for openness and acceptance, and having a feeling of closeness that might be exhibited through a comfort with being physically as well as emotionally close.

Participants will be interviewed about their relationship in order to capture the backgrounds of the individual participants and the history and experience of the relationship, as well as gaining understanding about what each male sees as the benefit or value of their close relationship. Photo sessions with the participants will attempt to capture a representation of the relationships of males who are part of this project.

If you would like to be part of this very important project, please let us know.

Contact either:

• Neal Wecker in Ithaca New York, nealwecker@gmail.com or 607-273-1779.
• Deborah Halpern in Ithaca, at Debby@brooktonhollowfarm.com or 607-273-2621
• Robert Heasley at heasley@iup.edu or 724-465-2234

About the project organizers: Both Robert Heasley and Neal Wecker have been involved in working with men’s programs for many years and themselves have a deeply supportive relationship. Deborah Halpern is an artist and photographer living in Ithaca, New York who is dedicated to using photography to tell the stories of the human experience.