Pe r s o n al Style
‘Staching Style for the Movember Challenge B y S e a n M o r ro w
D
ogmatic growth of facial hair and disciplined sacrifice both factor heavily into many of the world’s religions. In Islam, it is requisite to fast during Ramadan, and facial hair growth has deep meaning. In Jewish culture, many also fast and grow beards. The Christian church has Lent. Sacrifice and beard growth are used to show dedication, repentance, discipline, mourning or charity.
Movember is an annual charity challenge where supporters grow a moustache - or ‘Mo’ - to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues.
Opposite page: Adam Garone, CEO of Movember.
1 2 m y C ULTURE
The mustache growth is done with purpose: With the intention of raising money for“men’s health issues”— the organization raises awareness and funds for issues, such as prostate cancer and depression. (Good stuff!) And this extremely important because health issues, including prostate and testicular cancers, could turn out quite differently is caught early; therefore, early detection is vital. Much effort, awareness and funding is put into breast cancer awareness, but so little into men’s cancers. Movember is a fun way to raise money for awareness and research, much like a breast cancer charity might host a walk or run. But here’s the thing, if you’re participating in growing a mustache for charity — if for you, mustache growth must be governed by rules and considered a“challenge”— does that not make mustache growth a sacrifice? This was a question for someone well versed in the world of facial hair and monthlong facial hair growth. Jacob Nathan, the founder and former president of the Clark University Beard Enthusiasts, a society dedicated to the appreciation and growth of facial hair. CUBE held an event very similar to Movember for charity:“We did a fundraiser ‘Octobeard,’”said Nathan,“where we had everyone grow the mightiest facial hair that they could, and we developed a voting system where you could donate then vote for your favorite beard, and the winner got to choose where all of the money went to.” Photos Courtesy of Movember Org. The Movember movement inspired What happens when you combine facial hair and tempoOctobeard, which you could assume took place in Octorary discipline? ber and simply expanded the event across the face. Like The Movember Foundation is not a religion. Sure, Movember, women (Movember calls their women ‘Mo they’re a not-for-profit organization with the express Sisters,’) were not excluded. goal of helping people and doing kind things, but “A girl actually won the competition. She cut her own they’re not a religion. The foundation, founded in 2004, hair off and fashioned it into a beard,”explained Nathan. hosts yearly events in November dedicated to the grow“We were pleased with that because the school was giving ing of mustaches, charity mustaches. They outline their me some sh*t because they thought a beard club excluded rules as follows: women. I assured them that our club’s constitution said that anyone could join regardless of gender as long as they 1. Once registered at movember.com each mo bro must begin said they were trying to grow a beard.” the 1st of Movember with a clean-shaven face. Nathan wasn’t sure just where the concept of grow2. For the entire month of Movember each mo bro must grow ing facial hair for charity came from, but he remembers and groom a mustache. it from his youth,“I had heard of hockey players growing 3. There is to be no joining of the mo to [one’s] sideburns. playoff beards, and even doing charity playoff beard (That’s considered a beard.) growing things.” 4. There is to be no joining of the handlebars to [one’s] chin. CUBE came about during the recent resurgence in the (That’s considered a goatee.) popularity of mustaches, when they were popping up on 5. Each mo bro must conduct himself like a true upper lips everywhere, and Nathan noticed.“It does sort of country gentleman. — continues on p. 14...