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Movember supports men’s health initiatives, including prostate and colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, parenting and general health.
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- Last Updated: November 04, 2020, 18:11 IST
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The term Movember is a combination of two words — November and moustache. The concept of Movember was started by a bunch of Australians as a fun experiment. But now it has become a proper charitable organisation which supports men’s health initiatives, including prostate and colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, parenting and general health.
As per the official website, Movember began in 2003 in Australia’s Melbourne. The beginning of this now very popular movement came from two friends. The two of them recruited 28 other men in Australia who agreed to grow their moustaches. When this began there was no intention of raising money for charity or anything of that sort.
However, this changed after Movember got the official charity status from Australia in 2006. It had raised over $8 million since its inception. Ever since the movement has been growing and by 2017, more than 5 million people from 21 countries officially participated and donated to Movember.
Those who participate in Movember grow their moustache for the entire month of November. Those people who are actually willing to participate in the movement get themselves registered with Movember so that they are counted in the millions.
For people who have to follow a strict dress code at work, they are permitted to occasionally trim or groom their moustache.
As Movember enters its 13th year in the United States, a campaign has been launched that encourages “Mo Bros and Mo Sisters” across the nation. Movember’s US Country Director Mark Hedstrom said, “If there has ever been a time to embrace Movember and shave down and then grow a Mo, it is now.” He added that it has been an incredibly difficult year which makes it the most important one yet for the campaign. According to Hedstrom, research conducted by Movember has shown that the effects of the pandemic on men’s mental health is particularly concerning, and it is still far from over with job losses, relationship stresses and social isolation continuing to take its toll.