With the beginning of November, I was reminded of an annual month-long event that will soon be evident upon the faces of men all over the world - Movember. Starting today, and continuing until Dec 1, men will be growing their glorious moustaches in support of men's health, particularly prostate cancer.
This is an event I completely support, not only because my grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but also because I don't feel that men's health gets the attention and publicity it should. Women's health is highly publicized, most notably the issue of Breast Cancer. From television ads, to marathons, jewelry, clothes, and more, awareness for Breast Cancer is constant and consistent. Pink merchandise in support of the cause is commonly found, and benefits held to raise awareness and money are numerous, which is outstanding, but what about men's health?
Men's health is in a poor state in Canada and worldwide, primarily due to a lack of awareness and understanding when it comes to the issues. Men are less likely than women to discuss their health, schedule doctor's appointments, and act energetically and publicly about the issues, which is why men's health has lower levels of awareness, understanding, funding, and support compared to other causes like breast cancer. It's time men's health gained more recognition and support.
Originating in Australia in 1999, the movement has since become a global event with more than 1.1 million participants and formal campaigns happening in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland. To date, the campaign has raised 176 million dollars worldwide. In 2010 in Canada alone, 119 000 participants joined and raised 22.3 million dollars.
It's remarkable the difference something as simple as growing a moustache can make, which is why I've dedicated my first column to it. In the past I've heard women complaining about the moustaches the men are sporting, or have seen men with magnificent facial hair boasting about No Shave November, or Movember, yet not realizing the purpose behind it. I may not be able to grow a magnificent moustache myself, but I hope I can help by spreading the message.
Movember is all about raising awareness and educating individuals on the issues of men's health, and empowering men to make a difference. Some may be skeptical as to the effectiveness of the campaign and wonder if it actually makes a difference, and the answer is yes, it absolutely does. It successfully raises awareness and positively encourages men to think about their health and make changes, not to mention the amount of money that has been raised (176 million and counting!) to support men's health through the creative innovation of Movember.
The rules of the game are as follows: on the evening of Oct 31 men are to completely shave their face. Then for the duration of November they may trim, groom, and wax their moustache into a work of art. No hair may be grown in any facial area below the lip; and the moustache cannot connect to sideburns.
The act of growing and grooming a moustache for Movember is accompanied by the campaigns tagline "changing the face of men", which is both literal and figurative. Men are physically altering their appearance with the presence of a moustache, but more so than that, they are changing the way they think about their health in a positive way.
This campaign is a really fun way to learn about men's health and encourage positive change, and you don't have to be a moustache-growing man to support. Anyone can donate to the cause online or purchase jewelry, shoes, and more with the proceeds going towards men's health. To donate or to simply learn more about Movember and ways to get involved, visit ca.movember.com. It's a great opportunity for us all to learn a little bit more about a great cause that's under-acknowledged.
I completely encourage the dismissal of razors during this month, and encourage those who disprove of hairy lips to not hate, but advocate! Don't call your mans' stache disgusting or repulsive, praise it! This is a good cause, so get into the spirit of Movember and support it by supporting fine moustachery! May those who let their mustaches grow wild and free to support the cause pass on the message, and may those who don't know the cause behind their wooly upper lip learn about the movement and continue on growing with new awareness. Have fun with Movember and may your glorious wooly moustaches flourish this month!
