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MATT HENNIE
If you haven’t run into Matt Hennie before, you’re probably straight. You can’t miss the founder and managing editor of Atlanta’s biggest, baddest gay blog, Project Q Atlanta—both because of his 6’8” frame and because he’s at seemingly every gay happening in town.
How would you define your role in Atlanta’s LGBT community?
For more than 12 years, I’ve had the honor of reporting on and documenting Atlanta’s diverse gay population. Sometimes that’s as simple (and fun) as attending community events, cheering on sports teams or snapping photos at a press conference. At other times, it means forcing us to look in the mirror and deal with issues we’d rather not face. I’ve got a front row seat to all that is Atlanta’s LGBT community and enjoy covering that for others to see and experience.
What do you forecast for Atlanta’s LGBT community in the next 5 to 10 years?
Atlanta’s vibrant LGBT community will continue to struggle with the same issues it faces today—how to keep building on our successes. We don’t live in a gay ghetto any longer, but now we face a disconnect because we live all over metro Atlanta. Technology makes it easier to reach others like us, but it keeps us from connecting face-to-face or meeting others who look different than us. Some pieces of our community are comfortable and complacent, while other segments of our LGBT alphabet remain disenfranchised.
We learn from all our experiences, both good and bad. Tell us about a negative life experience you’ve had that you learned a valuable lesson from.
My father died when I was in my early 20s, before I had the courage to come out to him as gay. I built up walls around me to hide pieces of me and regret that he never knew all of his son and that our relationship wasn’t as complete as it should have been. From that, I learned not to construct barriers to keep away those that I love and that love me. It’s something I still struggle with today.
How has being LGBT shaped your outlook on life?
Growing up as a middle class white kid comes with certain built-in advantages. But being gay, and struggling to come to terms with that, showed me that life doesn’t treat everyone the same. It opened my eyes to the riches that diversity offers.
Tell us a little more about yourself. What are your hobbies? What are your goals?
Bloggers—at least this one—don’t live in their mother’s basement and work in their underwear. So when I’m not writing, I enjoy quality time with my partner, Carlos, and our dogs; going out with friends; catching the latest on the Big Screen. To get away from being a Professional Gay, there’s my basketball and soccer officiating, which I’ve done for several years.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what’s the one book you would want with you?
No books. Just stick me there with an iPad so I can read my favorite publications and websites and keep up with what’s happening in gay Atlanta.
