Similar to Pink October, which aims to raise awareness for breast cancer screening, Movember aims to raise awareness about men’s health issues.
This annual event encourages men to grow mustaches to raise awareness of male health issues.
Movember: mustachioed men are in the spotlight. Photo: Movember
What exactly is it?
Movember comes from English, and it’s a contraction of the word “mo”, Australian slang for mustache, and “November”. Just like Pink October raises awareness about breast cancer screening, Movember aims to raise awareness about men’s health issues. It focuses specifically on prostate cancer—the second deadliest cancer in men—testicular cancer, and mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
The motivation to raise awareness about these issues stems from the observation that, on average, men live 6 years fewer than women worldwide. Additionally, mental health issues more frequently affect men, as three-quarters of suicides are committed by men. On average, there are 510,000 male suicides globally every year, equating to one suicide every minute.
An event born from a challenge between two friends
This initiative began in 2003 in Australia when two friends challenged each other to find thirty men willing to grow mustaches after noticing that men were less proactive about their health than women.
Since then, the movement has expanded to several countries, including France since 2012. From 30 men, it has now gathered over 5 million participants worldwide. Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has funded over 1,250 projects concerning men’s health worldwide. In 2018, it raised nearly 65 million euros, making it the largest NGO globally dedicated to men’s health.
How to participate?
Participating is very simple. First, you must register on the website to become a Mo Bro (or a Mo Sister or Mo non-binary).
If you are a man, Movember challenges you to start the month with a clean shave and grow a mustache throughout November. You should then share pictures of your mustache on social media. The goal: encourage your friends and family to donate to charities of their choice.
Another major event during Movember is the Move. The foundation invites you to run or walk 60 km over the month of November. This number is significant as it represents the number of men who commit suicide every hour worldwide. For this event, everyone can participate!
