Mo' Moustaches, Less Problems: Movember Spreads Awareness for Young Men's Health

Forget about drones, wearable computers, fingerprint sensors and all the trappings of modern life, for it is the new November.
It’s Movember. The bane of wives, fiances, moms, girlfriends, and boyfriends everywhere. “Movember” is a portmanteau of “moustache” and “November,” and it means dudes everywhere will begin sporting all manner of bizarre upper-lip caterpillars. Toothbrushes and bathroom sinks will never be the same after this month.

If you or someone you know is between the ages of 15-35, chances are you’ve already realized what you’re in for this month. Movember aligns with “No Shave November,” making this modern trend of antiquated nature the most wonderful time of the year for manly men. The rules of No Shave November are simple: shave on November 1st and don’t do it again until December 1st. It can be a hairy time for everyone, as the beardily challenged can sprout some truly horrendous man scruff.
But after the whiskers have settled upon December’s tenderly shorn face, some real good will have occurred. Movember is not only a widespread movement in male bonding, it’s also a charity dedicated to promoting men’s health. Movember.com aims to “have an everlasting impact on men’s health,” namely in the areas of mental health and prostate and testicular cancer.
Per the manliest place on the internet, the Movember charity “will get men to grow moustaches and the community to support them by creating an innovative, fun and engaging annual Movember campaign that results in funds for men’s health program investment and greater awareness…of the health risks men face.”
Creating conversations and funding research since 2007, the Movember charity is more than kitsch, it is creating a legit footprint on men’s health. In 2013, they raised $147 million, had 1.1 million registered moustache growers, and created 2.7 billion conversations about men’s health. The Movember charity was created for the simple fact that on average, men live five years less than women.
It’s obvious why the Movember charity is neccessary just by examining the startling statistics for prostate and testicular cancer. According to Movember.com, “Over 238,000 cases of the disease will be diagnosed and almost 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer in 2013.” It gets worse, as there will be nearly 8,000 new cases of testicular cancer this year, leaving almost 400 good men dead.
The moustache is an art form men only men can appreciate; testicular and prostate cancer are diseases only men can get. As a young man, I sense the significance and urgency of both. I implore women everywhere to suspend their disgust for the facial fur, crustaches, dirt squirrels, and cookie dusters the men in your life will grow this Movember. That annoying patch of lip foilage just might save someone’s life.
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