November. It’s the month where you’re ridiculed for listening to Mariah Carey (who could resist?) before Thanksgiving. It’s the month full of sweet treats like pumpkin pie and not-so-sweet encounters with people from high school. And of course, it’s the month that Hometown Jake, a ghost that only appears when you’re both bored, lonely, and on college breaks, pops up as if you’ve made consistent contact since last spring.
There are so many different things that the month brings as you turn over the calendar from October to November, it isn’t typically until it’s the end of the month – and your boyfriend’s five o’clock shadow has turned into a full on Dumbledore beard and stash – that No Shave November takes the spotlight.
No Shave November is when men grow out their facial hair throughout the month of November to raises awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate cancer. The idea behind this is to take their month’s worth of savings from not hitting the barber and to donate it towards a good cause. #Movember – a nonprofit organization started with the same intention in Australia, but with growing mustaches – began in 2003 and guys have been participating ever since.
So, before we even said goodbye to daylight savings, our guys have been saying goodbye to their razors.
And they love it.
I don’t know what it is about a boy who feels more “manly” with a little scruff, but Ricky who hasn’t been able to get much of anything on his face since the 8th grade gets extremely hype while growing out his chin beard. Can’t see it? Don’t tell Ricky that. His fragile ego is much more easily displayed than the “beard” he’s been growing all month long.
Some girls love it, too.
To start, my girlfriends lust after bearded men like they’re the Real Housewives of Temple University. I took to the streets to find out if they’re just biased too, if we were really onto something here. Have we been watching so many episodes of Desperate Housewives that had morphed into one? Or is a man with a beard really more desirable?
“No! I can’t do it!” Rita, a Freshman at Temple said. “A clean shave is important. I want to be able to at least see his face.”
“I hate it. It’s gross. No. When I kiss a guy with a beard I feel like I’m kissing a, like, woolly mammoth,” another said.
Me? Personally? I have to disagree: There’s something mature about a guy with facial hair. When I see a guy with some minimal beardage my reaction is more like oh, he’d take me to a nice steak dinner. Not to the senior prom.
I surveyed more girls around campus and there was a pretty good mix of both good and bad. But with the split divide came a compromise. Minimal scruff was the popular opinion – a perfect medium. No one wanted a Mississippi-esque backwoods beard.
Ungroomed was for sure a no-go, but girls were willing to settle for more than what their man usually had going on. The ungroomed look, girls pointed out, makes the guy look as if he isn’t trying. Beards were given a thumbs-up with one condition: If the man growing the beard still looks presentable.
Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s about time we took a stand. Besides, we can all agree that guys throw around opinions about women’s shaving habits far too often.
To the men participating in No Shave November: We cast our vote as a very strong maybe.