When it comes to facial hair, I think it’s safe to say that the moustache has been the most spotlighted variety for many years. For many decades they have been a defining feature on the faces of countless celebrities and household names – many of whom would be unrecognisable without that flash of dark hair on the upper lip.
But, despite its persistent popularity, I’ve always had mixed feelings regarding the moustache as an addition to the face of a gentleman. Even with celebrities like Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt doing their level best to bring back the moustache – with their neatly trimmed efforts cropping up all over the press – the all-too-frequent tendency of a moustache to push a perfectly nice face into the realms of the Super Mario is an issue which I’ve struggled with for years. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many faces for which a tastefully cultivated moustache can do wonders. The ‘rugged’ look is undeniably perfect for some guys, perching obediently on the top lip as a sort of signifier of suaveness – just so long as the Charlie Chaplin look is avoided at all costs, and the stubbly stage is kept as fleeting as possible – the journey of the moustache has the potential to be great.
So, my views established upon the concept of this particular brand of facial hair, I have for a while felt happy to accuse the moustache of its purposelessness, to laugh (light-heartedly of course) at its unhelpful position on the face of my friends, and to listen with some scepticism as they claim it is an expression of their ‘manliness.’ However, for the next few weeks at least I will be keeping my opinions firmly to myself, as men across the world embrace the month of ‘Movember.’
Movember is a global charity movement with the aim of raising both money and awareness for men’s health, focusing on the incredibly topical and personal issue of prostate cancer. Guys taking part in Movember begin the month clean-shaven, and gradually cultivate whatever form of moustache they can over November’s 30 days, seeking sponsorship for their efforts wherever they can, and spreading the word about Movember and the issues it takes on. The very first formal campaign took place in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, and the concept has since then spread across the world, with campaigns taking placein Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland, as well as support branching out on a global scale. If, like me, you’d never heard of the challenge before and are wondering exactly how productive something as seemingly trivial as the art of moustache growing can be, then you need look no further than the figures posted on the Movember website. The charity claims 1.1 million registrants worldwide, and has raised a total of £106 million in the seven years it’s been running, with last year’s efforts alone reaching an impressive £48.5 million.
This year, the attempts to smash the already towering total are well underway, and Leeds University is no exception, with a team of lads willing to put their faces at stake for the cause, whilst documenting their progress online. Their motivation: ‘To change the face of men’s health.’ We’re not even halfway through November and they’ve already raised well over £300, a total which looks set to increase substantially as the month goes on.
And it’s not just about the boys. As many of us know, men’s health issues like prostate cancer don’t just affect the guy in question; illnesses like this have an overwhelming impact on everyone involved. For this very reason, women are encouraged to take an equally active role in the action (just with slightly less stubble in most cases). Deemed ‘Mo-Sistas,’ girlfriends, mothers, daughters and friends of moustache growers the world over can get involved by donating, spreading the word and holding fundraising events. We all know that health problems like this can happen to anyone, but sometimes it’s hard to believe that we’ll ever be involved with something so scary until it actually happens, which is precisely why it’s so important that as girls we support our respective ‘Mo-Bros’ in their plight. We can encourage the men in our lives to get regular health checks, and generally to be aware of the warning signs and risks associated with those frightening health issues that we like to pretend don’t exist. Nothing is quite as frightening when we share it, support each other, and most of all have a good laugh at ourselves in the process (that’s right, what your mum told you was true!) – a pretty essential ability for partakers in this scheme of moustache sprouting goodness.
So here in the month of November (sorry, Movember) us ladies have an essential role to fill – once, of course, we’ve come to terms with that darkening shadow possessing a small yet very visible part of our man’s face. I think the concept of Movember has a very important message, making us focus on what we have, and the importance of health in a society which seems so constantly obsessed with appearance! The more I think about my own opinions on the moustache, the more I realise how little it matters how it looks, when this sacrifice of face (and sometimes, let’s face it, dignity) is what has brought so many guys and girls together for such a great cause. I for one am proud of them, and you should be too.
For more information or to get involved or donate to the month of Movember, go to www.movember.com, or uk.movember.com/mospace/801786/to find the Leeds University team.