What is Movember?

Why the month of November is so important to men’s health and wellbeing

November 15, 2021

Wellbeing, Unfiltered

Photography - Gabriel Testoni

Contributor - Nathan Irvine

Look around during the month of November, and you’ll almost certainly notice an increase in men’s facial hair. That area just under the nose suddenly looks a little more prickly than usual. Moustaches that range from stiff and broom-like to those wispy ones that look like a gust of wind could dislodge them, November – or “Movember” – is all about the ‘tache.

Of course, it’s a bit of fun for those involved in not shaving their moustache for the entire month and seeing the questionable results at the end. But there’s also a deeper meaning to Movember too.

You see, the campaign was started way back in 1999 in Australia. The original intention was to raise money for various charities such as the RSPCA, which had the quirky tagline of “growing whiskers for whiskers”. It wasn’t until 2004 that Movember, once again in Australia, evolved into a foundation with a laser focus on men’s health and wellness. At the time of writing, Movember is a global force that shines a light on men’s issues such as prostate cancer and depression.

Athletes, celebrities and your average man in the street will grow out their facial hair for cash that they then donate to various men’s charities. These foundations are critical points of contact for men that are either afraid or don’t know what to do when it comes to problems that they’d rather not share with each other. A safe haven, if you will, away from the poison of toxic masculinity and the “man up” crowd in modern society.

Keeping these charities afloat is important for the current generation of men, but also the next ones, and so on. Normalising certain men’s health and wellness stigmas is the ultimate goal of Movember. And when the gateway to this is simply growing out a tiny bit of fur on a top lip, it’s one of the easiest and most natural things a gentleman can do to help their fellow man. Long live the mo’.