Movember is officially here, guys, and it’s the best time of the year to get a little hairy and grow out your upper lip fur. We know, a mustache might not be the sexiest look around — hell, personally speaking, I look terrible with one — but Movember gives you the perfect excuse for having one, and it’s impacted men’s health is so many ways.
As we all know, being a guy is great. Problem is, there are some issues that we tend to be too stubborn to talk about or get checked on, and most of them have to deal with our health. What the Movember, and No-Shave November, organizations do is create awareness and start the conversation for men to speak up. They focus on mental health issues in men, as well as prostate and testicular cancer research, so going n-shave for the next 30 days is huge.
Since we’re all about Movember and growing scruff all month long, we’re telling you why you should join the movement, too. Plus, by the end of the November, you’ll have a ‘stache capable of making Tom Selleck proud, or jealous.
What is Movember?
As briefly mentioned above, Movember is an annual month dedicated to raising funds for men’s health issues, such as prostate and testicular cancer, men’s suicide and men’s mental health problems. Running the entire month of November, men are encouraged to grow a mustache and collect donations, which then can be given to the Movember Foundation to help support its mission.
How effective has Movember been over the years?
You may think that guys going unshaven for an entire month wouldn’t lead to much, but as Movember and No-Shave November has grown each year, so too has the effectiveness and donations. According to a recent CNN article, the Movember Foundation alone has raise a whopping $837 million across more than 20 countries since starting in Australia back in 2006. The goal this year is $100 million globally, so don’t hold back on joining the MO-vement, get it?
Can I donate without growing?
Of course you can. We get it, not everyone has the luxury of working from home or at a company that allows self-expression, if you will. Some people have fancy office jobs that require suits and a close shave. If you’re one of those guys, rather than show support for Movember with a furry lip, go ahead and donate some cash to your favorite organization. Naturally, the two most popular are the ones we’ve mentioned already — Movember and No-Shave November — but there are other ones out there as well.
Who should my Movember inspiration be?
The simple answer is anyone who has a glorious, thick, impressive mustache, but that’s so vague that it might not directly answer the question. Therefore, we might recommend someone like former MLB pitcher Rollie Fingers. Or actor Tom Selleck in his younger days. Of course, there’s always the classic handlebar ‘stache of wrestler Hulk Hogan, if you’re feeling exotic. Basically, go with what you think is fun and will wear with pride.