November is, apparently, Men’s Health Awareness Month. Okay, that’s actually not a thing. What is a thing is two separate, independent movements to try and bring awareness to men’s health issues. One is called Movember, the other is No-Shave November. Each of them are an attempt to bring a great attention to men’s health issues.
Movember is a broad movement that highlights men’s issues of all kinds issues, from cancer to mental health to couch potato-ism. It started in 2003 in Australia by a couple of friends as an effort to bring back the mustache, a style trend they felt was disappearing among men. Given the success of using the mustaches as a conversation starter, they decided to step it up a notch, and in 2004, they established it as a fundraising vehicle for prostate cancer research. Since then it was gone on to become an enormous success, raising awareness for a broad range of issues. Since starting up in 2003, they’ve raised $649 million worldwide.
No-Shave November highlights cancer specifically. It is a family-run charity organization that really came together as a formal movement about six years ago. It was started as a way to highlight cancer awareness, given the patriarch of the family passed away from colon cancer. It, like Movember, is trying to raise money through donations to be passed along to organizations like the American Cancer Society. And technically speaking, it’s not just a men’s health aware movement, as women can participate too, hairy legs and all. So to call it a men’s health awareness organization is a little disingenuous, but only a little. I mean, the logo has a silhouetted picture of a guy with stylish facial hair, after all.
The thing that both of these have in common is the attempt to increase awareness by showing one of the most masculine defining features a man can have: facial hair.
Each of these have their own rules. Movember is specific to mustaches. They encourage you to grow your mustache, starting with a cleanly shaved face on November 1st, and letting it grow until November 30th. However, you must limit your growth to your upper lip. Absolutely no beards allowed.
No-Shave November doesn’t really care whether you grow a mustache, a beard, a goatee, a fu mancho, or let your cheek whisker grow out like a Klingon. Just as long as you hang up the razor for some part of your face.
I read about these a few days ago, but only really decided to commit to the awareness yesterday. The thing is, I like shaving. I know lots of people who don’t but I’m not one of them. Shaving is such a part of my morning routine, I feel a little out of sorts whenever I don’t shave. Several months ago, I switched over from my Gillete Mach Whatever-Number-They’re-Up-To to a safety razor. The reason? Because shaving with a safety razor is bad-ass, that’s why.
Well, maybe that’s not the complete reason.
Shaving with a safety razor doesn’t allow you to just hack away at your face to get it done and move on. It requires a certain technique, along with a little patience and practice. I actually find it to be very calming and relaxing because you have to move slower and with caution.
Several months ago, I stumbled on an article on shaving on the Art of Manliness site. (For those not familiar with the Art of Manliness, I recommend you check it out.) I was trying to find a better way to deal with razor burn around my neck. The article was entitled “How To Shave Like Your Grandpa.” I couldn’t resist reading the rest. It basically explained how to shave using a safety razor, and why it’s so much better to do so. From saving money on razors (the blades cost about $1.00 each and last 1-2 weeks), to the way it helps avoid razor burn, the article was a great introduction to shaving with a safety razor.
Then I remembered that my grandfather used to have a safety razor, and that I have it somewhere in a collection of things I received after he passed away. I always wondered how it worked and the Art of Manliness article clarified that.
Like I said, shaving in the morning is a big part of my routine, and my morning feels like incomplete without it. But here’s the thing: my grandfather passed away from cancer at the age of 67. When you’re a 13 year old kid, you don’t have a sense of age. Everybody older than 18 is ancient. I’m in my forties now. My folks turn 67 next year. That’s the same age as my grandfather was when he died. Now that I’m in my forties, I have a much clear sense of time and holy moly, 67 is way too young to succumb to cancer.
So I’m growing a bread for November. I will probably shave it off when December 1st rolls around. A beard makes me look a lot older than I’d like. It’s where all the gray is hiding. I don’t mind a vacation week’s worth of stubble, but I like my smooth face. However, this year, to bring awareness to men’s health, I’m letting it grow. What I would have spent in shaving supplies for the month will go to one of these organizations (haven’t decide on which one yet).
Men: get yourselves checked out. Get your physicals if you haven’t had one this
year. Mine comes up at the end of November, so it’s perfect timing for me. Get whatever cancer screenings you need for your age. If you’re feeling sad or depressed, go talk to somebody. Start flossing. (You do not, and you know it.) If your butt has sprouted roots into the couch, pry yourself up. Eat less calories if you need to. Eat more veggies (everybody needs to). Go for walks. Go for a run. Go for anything that gets the blood pumping. Make sure you’re around in a few years. For youreself and your family.
And to show that your taking all this seriously, get hairy.
Scott C Lyerly 