Feature.

   

 

WVooustache
Movement

     

 

Celebrating nine years of upper lip sweaters and selective shaving

IY

By Jacey Gibb,
Assistant Editor

race yourselves:

Movember is coming

It’s the time of year
that girlfriends dread
and pre-pubescent boy-
men shy away from.
Greasy prickles of facial
hair spring forth on faces
everywhere, making
every moment you’re out
in public feel like you’ve
walked into an ‘80s
porno sans the funky,
bass-ridden background
music.

But while most guys
are busy obsessing over
whom of their group
can grow the grossest
‘stache possible, the
real reason behind
Movember’s inception
is often overlooked:
the promotion of men’s
health and an awareness
for prostate and testicular
cancer, as well as
depression among men.

Admittedly, I’ve
always found myself
to be somewhat critical
of Movember. Most of
my friends (along with
90 per cent of the male
12

population) look terrible
with moustaches, and
I’ve always found myself

Guest was only 14. “He’s
been fighting it for a little
over 10 years now. My

people registered on the
Movember website last
year alone. But the cause

thinking “hypocrite” two uncles have also had __ is still very much in its
when I see someone’s prostate cancer andhad _ infancy, compared with
Movember fundraising to undergo a couple of something like breast
profile still at $0 halfway — different treatments for cancer, which has been
through the month. it. That’s why whenI was receiving widespread

But in an effort to first introduced to the media attention for years.
shave the stigma I have idea of Movember, it was In fact, Movember didn’t
about the cause and something I just latched — even achieve official

get a handle(bar) on onto pretty quickly. charity status in Canada
Movember, I decided “Our fathers were until last year.

to speak with the most raised to kind of keep “This isn’t the breast
active Movember their heads down cancer juggernaut,
mustachio I know, Mark about this kind of stuff where it’s been going
Guest. and not talk about it. on for years with ads

The real reason behind Movembers inception is often
overlooked: the promotion of mens health and an
awareness for prostate and testicular cancer.

66

“Tt’s coming in a bit
better,” Guest reassures
me over Skype that he’s
honed his moustache
growing abilities since
he first became involved

on national TV. There

are still people even in

Canada who haven’t

heard about Movember.”
The first year Guest

took part in Movember,

It’s sort of that whole
macho mentality of
‘Ym okay. Everything’s
fine.’ Men are generally
more uncomfortable
talking about health

with Movember three issues like prostate and he did so alone and

years ago. But Guest’s testicular cancer, but also —_- wasn’t able to raise a
ability to look good depression.” significant amount of
while pulling off a Born in Melburne donations. But in 2010, he

Australia in 2003,
Movember has already
managed to achieve
global recognition,
with over 850,000

seasonal ‘stache isn’t
the only reason he does
Movember—his father
was diagnosed with
prostate cancer when

joined facial hair forces
with several friends and
they registered as a team.
Over the years, Guest has
individually raised about

$4,000 for Movember,
in addition to all the
money that was raised
collectively by the group
via organized pub nights.
“One thing I like
about Movember is that
we don’t make people
walk or run 10km on
Saturday mornings in
order to raise money.”
Taking the place of
morning marathons are
pub nights that the team
organizes, promotes, and
then executes. Guest has
also noticed that once
people are together and
get talking about issues
like prostate cancer, a
lot of the stigma melts
away. “I think it’s been
hugely effective. I’ve had
multiple people come
up talk to me about
how their dad won’t get
checked or something.
It creates an opening for
a conversation about a
very important issue.”
While the monetary
aspect of Movember
plays a big part in
supporting men’s
health, the moustaches
themselves are the main
driving force. Faces
become billboards
advertising awareness
for issues that otherwise