Moustaches have lined upper lips for, well, since forever. After all, cavemen didn’t exactly have access to shaving cream and a Gillette Mach 3 razor. Since then, however, with civilization and a multi-billion-dollar men’s grooming industry, to shave or not to shave has become a personal choice, especially during the month of November. Or should we say: Movember.
“Every Movember, we challenge men to grow a moustache or make a commitment to get active and move for 30 days,” says Jaye Campbell, the director of marketing for the Movember Foundation, a global charity raising funding for and awareness about men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancer. Here’s how to get in the know with Campbell’s cheat sheet about this hairy cause:
The Coles Notes of the cause:
“It started in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia with two guys who wanted to bring back a fashion trend: the moustache,” explains Campbell. “Later, Movember launched in Canada in 2007. To date, we’ve raised CAD $175 million, funding more than 230 projects from coast to coast.”
Why you should grow a ’stach:
“Men’s health is important to all of us,” says Campbell. Growing a moustache during the month of November helps raise awareness and, “generates conversations. Men become walking, talking billboards for men’s health for 30 days. It’s these conversations that get men to make a difference in their health.”
How a hairy upper lip can save a life:
“Every year, we hear stories about how a conversation or the support of a Movember team gave someone the courage to seek help for a potential medical issue,” says Campbell. “These are often life-changing situations where someone has identified a serious issue but is with us today because they made the step to get help. This is why we do what we do every day.”
Who gets hairy best for the charity:
Parks and Recreation’s Nick Offerman, “because really, what an epic moustache,” says Campbell. “He’s been a big supporter of the Movember movement and really makes the journey fun.” Her second favourite: Malin Ackerman, the Swedish-Canadian actress and model. “She was an early supporter of the Movember movement and really helped champion Mo Sista involvement.”
How to pick your moustache style:
“One of the guys in our office always says: ‘You don’t choose your moustache, your moustache chooses you,’” says Campbell. “Given the incredible variety of moustaches we see each year, I’d say there’s some truth to that.”
How to get involved:
Want to do more than grow your upper lip hair? The Movember Foundation has a variety of ways to get involved. Log onto ca.movember.com for more information or click here to donate.
