November marks the start of both No Shave November and Movember, the time of year when people opt to hold off on shaving for the entire month. While No Shave November and Movember sound similar and are often lumped together, there are some key differences you should keep in mind before choosing which to participate in.
No Shave November
No Shave November was coined in 2009 by a family who lost their father to a battle against colon cancer in 2007. The movement works to support awareness of men’s cancer. To participate, people forgo shaving and grooming for the entire month as a way to raise cancer awareness and evoke conversation about the amount of hair many cancer patients lose. The movement encourages people to donate the money typically spent on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid cancer patients.
Some people participate in No Shave November just for the sake of it while others commit to supporting the cause and raising awareness for men’s cancer. Whichever your reason, everyone is welcome to partake in No Shave November. Participation in No Shave November is not limited to beards only. You can also participate by growing a mustache or avoiding shaving or waxing your legs and armpits. If you want to participate but face strict dress codes at work, you are encouraged to participate to your best ability even if that means you must trim and groom at any point during the month.
While you do not have to officially register to participate, you are welcome to stop shaving and create your own fundraising page through the official No Shave November website or simply donate to the cause. This year, donors can choose where their donations are directed to. Benefiting foundations include American Cancer Fund, National LGBT Cancer Network, Testicular Cancer Society, and Be The Match Foundation.
Movember
In 2003, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, two friends from Melbourne, Australia, met up for a beer at Gypsy Bar in Fitzroy where their conversation turned to recurring fashion trends. The moustache, they found, was nowhere to be seen, so Garone and Slattery joked about bringing it back. They talked their friends into growing a mo, Australian slang for a moustache. Then, inspired by a friend’s mother who was fundraising for breast cancer, Garone and Slattery developed the idea of Movember, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about men’s health and prostate cancer.
Garone and Slattery found 30 men willing to participate in the first-ever Movember back in 2003. By 2004, Movember had been formalized and participants were growing for a cause. That year, “Mo Bros” (men participating in Movember) raised about $39,938 to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Their cause areas eventually expanded to include mental health and suicide prevention as well as testicular cancer. In 2007, the campaign was taken internationally to Canada and the U.S. Now, there are official campaigns in 21 countries, and with the support of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas, they have raised more than $53 million.
There isn’t just one right way to participate in Movember. The first and most obvious way to participate is by growing a moustache. The official Movember website recommends that you start the challenge clean-shaven and then uphold the rules of Movember Mo Growing. The rules are as follows:
- Begin with a clean-shaven face.
- For the entire month of Movember, grow and groom a moustache.
- Don’t fake it. No beards, no goatees, no fake moustaches.
- Use the power of the moustache to create conversation and raise funds for men’s mental health.
- Each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.
- If you’re not keen on growing a moustache, that’s okay. There are plenty of other ways to participate.
First is Move for Movember. Participants who choose this option commit to running or walking 60 miles over the month of November. That’s 60 miles for the 60 men lost to suicide each hour, every hour across the world. All Move for Movember participants are encouraged to sign up on the Movember official website and track their miles.
Another option is to host a Mo-ment. Participants who choose this option will rally a virtual or in-person crew to raise awareness and donations for men’s health. Hosts are encouraged to pick a fun, easy activity to host as many times as they would like throughout the month. Potential Mo-ments include a shave down where guests kick off their Movember journey by shaving together, a gaming tournament, a scavenger hunt, or a trivia night using the Mo Quiz Kit available on their website. There are tons of free resources available for Mo-ment hosts. For participants in Orlando, a host at Rock Hard Fitness will be holding a Community Sweat benefitting Movember on Sunday, Nov. 14, at 8:30 am. All proceeds will be donated to Movember. For more information, please see the Movember events website.
If growing moustaches and hosting Mo-ments isn’t for you, that’s okay! Participants can also choose to mo their own way, whether that is a test of physical endurance, a commitment to kicking a bad habit, taking on dares for donations, or any other feat that may come to mind.
Whether you choose to participate in No Shave November or Movember, you’ll be contributing to a good cause and making a difference in men’s health.
