Gender Testing in The Odyssey Gender and sexuality are major issues in our world. They have been areas of study, observation, and discussion throughout history and continue to be so today. The Odyssey, written by Homer, is an epic poem that puts emphasis on the importance of gender through its vivid descriptions of various male/female encounters. Homer portrays many different roles of men and women in The Odyssey and provides contrast of character with these roles. Relationships between men and women are closely examined in the poem while their own individual strength of character is being