It’s that time of year again — Movember is upon us. Great news for those passionate about the wonderful world of facial hair but less so for those partners who want their man clean-shaven.
Over the years, the goal of Movember has been somewhat diluted. We all enjoy following each other’s progress in growing a ‘tache both online and in the real world — we compete, we joke, we style.
What we don’t do enough of is discuss the goals of Movember.
Here’s a reminder of why we do what we do:
What is Movember: The Foundation of a Foundation
Movember, or more accurately The Movember Foundation, was founded in Australia in 2003 by a group of mates who wanted to raise money for charities. Those charities focused specifically on men’s issues – namely prostate cancer and depression in men.
The endeavour was an almost immediate success: The first group of 30 grew to 500 by the second year, and in just 19 years the movement has spread across the world.
Movember: Full Growth
Around the world, the average lifespan of a man is four and a half years lower than a woman — and the founders of Movember firmly believe that the reasons for this are avoidable:
● One man dies from suicide every minute globally
● 69% of all suicides are males
● Testicular cancer is the number one cancer diagnosis for younger men
● Prostate cancer strikes almost 11 million men every year
The Movember Foundation works to improve those statistics on two fronts: by raising awareness (social media virality, press coverage and hosted events, for example) and by raising funds for the projects and solutions that work in these areas.
Have Fun With It
Don’t get us wrong — we’re not trying to rain on anyone’s parade. While the core message is serious, you can still have fun with Movember! Try something different this year with your ‘tache — personally, we are big fans of the full handlebar (although getting that perfect in a few weeks might be a bit of a tough task!). Compete with your mates over whose mo’ is bigger, longer, or best: bonus points if you win all three categories.
Remember, the more fun you can have with Movember, the more likely it is that people will pay attention. Half of the battle with men’s health is educating men on the risks — as a rule, we are particularly reluctant to get checked out for testicular and prostate cancers, and we often feel like we cannot share our feelings, which directly leads to issues with depression.
If you take only one thing from this blog as we move into Movember, let it be this:
Don’t man up; MO’ UP.
About Us
Guy & Beard convert used shipping containers into uber-trendy barber shops, which we then place wherever we know style-conscious men will find us. As a company dedicated to men’s grooming and social causes, we LOVE Movember — and we look forward to giving you that much-needed shave on December 1! In the meantime, look after your new moustache with our 100% organic cold-pressed Moroccan Argan Oil: the best way to strengthen and condition your new look. You can pick it up right now at any of our locations.
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