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Movember: No Shave November

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Duke chapter.


Why do guys, and some girls, refuse to shave during the month of November? Well, it all started in Melbourne, Australia, where men wanted to raise awareness for prostate cancer…by growing their facial hair. Since this humble beginning, 1.1 million people have joined together worldwide to raise both money and awareness. In 2010, $7.5 million dollars was raised for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. $174 million has been raised to date.
 
But, this phenomenon typically has two sides to it: guys love it because they feel manly and are able to raise money for a good cause, while girls tend to hate it because, well, it’s not always the most attractive month of the year for guys. Still undecided where you stand? Here’s your very own pro/con list to guide you through what has become known as “Movember”:
 
Pros: Firstly, it benefits a great cause and helps raise awareness for prostate cancer, Saving lives? You can’t argue with that. Secondly, some guys can definitely pull off the look; just look at Ryan Gosling! And, thirdly, just LOOK at Ryan Gosling!

Cons: There is no apparent answer to the question of how a guy can go from a “9” to a “5” just by his failure to pull off the “Ryan Gosling beard.” And words cannot even describe the unpleasant sharp, scratchy, and irritating effects that can be left after that too close for comfort contact.
 
So, as a notice to all guys, support the cause but try to at least maintain the animal on your face. Trust me, girls will definitely appreciate it! There’s nothing worse than seeing a cute guy, and then two weeks later, hardly being able to recognize him.  Although only guys typically celebrate Movember, remember this, collegiates: if your guy wants to partake in No Shave November, you have an equal right to participate too. And, that’ll make him think twice about it come next November!
 
So, it seems, that while Movember supports a good cause, guys may want to look into another way to raise money and awareness. Say, like, Six Pack September. Now that sounds like a month we can all look forward to!  
 
Photo credits:
http://jonlash.com/2010/10/no-shave-novembe/
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRazlsQTdgQ/TZDsy-wPL1I/AAAAAAAAADg/2jeKCFMWKos/s1600/ryangoslingyq7.png

Sabrina is a Junior at Duke University, and is double majoring in English and Public Policy. A born and bred South African, Sabrina has traveled to the USA to pursue her higher education. As well as being a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Sabrina is also Assistant Vice President for Recruitment for the Panhellenic Association at Duke. Sabrina has written for Duke's daily newspaper, The Chronicle and Duke's fashion magazine, FORM. After graduating, she hopes to attend law school preferably in her favourite city, New York. In her spare time, Sabrina vegges out to various fashion blogs, mindless TV (Pretty Little Liars anyone?) and online shopping (which borders on an addiction). If you manage to catch her in an energetic mood, she's probably on her way to cardiodance (or to the nearest mall).