Movember: A Cultural Analysis

As we’ve progressed into mid-November, you’ve likely noticed the temperatures dropping, sun setting earlier, and puffer jackets slowly popping up around campus. Besides these common sights of fall on the Hill, there is one more you may have noticed: the mustaches! 

Some may not know, but not only is it November, but Movember: a cultural movement where many men grow mustaches in honor of men’s mental health and men’s experiences with cancer. 

Movember gained traction in 2003, when two Australian best friends pioneered the movement to bring awareness to the aforementioned issues. 

I’ve always been moderately aware of Movember as a movement-but I have never noticed so many men of our generation participating. As a woman, I hesitate to trivialize a men’s mental health movement-I am sure disrupting stigma around men’s health is a genuine motivator for many participants-but I propose a coexisting explanation for the outbreak of ‘staches. It’s an aesthetic one-and highly affected by a shift in female gaze and cultural tones around masculinity. 

Recently as a nation, we seem to be becoming more traditional-particularly in our generation. The numbers of young people joining churches/becoming active in religious life have increased, political polarization has pushed many to either an extreme conservative or extreme liberal standpoint, and “tradwife tok” has erupted on TikTok. While I can’t speak for all women, many are tired. Sometimes, the rat race and pressure for hyperindependence and being a “girlboss” really does make you wanna just churn your own butter and obsess over a sourdough starter like it’s the best thing since sliced bread…I hope you see what I did there. Yet, highpowered, ambitious, intelligent young women shouldn’t give up their autonomy or aspirations. 

So, where does this leave us? From my observations, the female gaze is slowly shifting away from preppy and polished “bros” to a scruffier, more “traditional” masculinity. Maybe it’s just my algorithm, but I am always seeing TikToks praising “blue-collar” men’s looks: tall, maybe a little dirt on the hands, and most importantly, mustached. What do all these physical indicators have to do with the exhaustion behind the female gaze? 

Typically, these traits would signal a man that is capable and self-sufficient. He can probably change a tire, and he isn’t afraid of decision-making or a little hard work. 

Not that women’s attraction results from needing their tire changed-we’ve got that covered, thanks-but it’s nice to know that he could do it. The tradwife movement and mindset is gaining so much traction because women are tired of holding men’s hands through relationships or even just daily interactions-planning dates, taking point on group projects, being the only one at Thanksgiving expected to be on dish duty. For those women who are tired but not insofar as to be willing to plunge themselves into the tradwife mindset, this exhaustion has manifested in their attraction to a man that looks capable, assertive, and strong. 

And the guys have noticed-mustaches are popping up left and right, and something tells me they may stick around even when the calendar flips far past November. Holy Cross guys, please put the shaving cream and the razor down. We love it. However, lovingly, not to be the style police, but it’s time to tuck the flip flops and shorts back in the closet. We’re worried about your health. Mustaches are one thing, but frostbite is not hot.

• masculinity
• movember
• mustache
• november