Movember: Growing Mustaches for a Good Cause

Author: Michelle Riggen-Ransom
Posted: 11/25/09 00:11 UTC
Info: Bio
Tags: social media, Health

You may have noticed certain avatars around the Internet looking a bit more hirsute than usual. While it’s true that winter’s coming and folks tend to get a little scruffier to stay warm, there’s actually a method to this mustache madness, or at least a good reason for the facial hair season.

BatchStash

We’re in the midst of “Movember”, an international effort to draw attention to men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer by encouraging folks to grow mustaches. Movember participants are encouraged to register, then grow and photograph their mustaches as they unfurl. The ability to form teams adds a competitive edge, and women are encourage to join in the fun as “Mo Sistas” (that’s my company BatchBlue’s team BatchStash up there and yes, we are looking good!)

Started in Australian in 2003, Movember had nearly 180,000 participants last year. They’ve partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Live Strong (Lance Armstrong’s foundation), who split the funds evenly at the conclusion of the event.

So how does sporting big, beautiful mustaches help with fundraising? Well, just the sight of a mustache on a ordinarily nude lip can spark a conversation with friends and co-workers. From the Movember website:

“As an organization, we have a goal to change the attitude men hold toward their health. The moustache is the symbol by which we generate the necessary awareness and funds in order to be able to achieve this goal. It is a simple and effective way to achieve our number one objective – awareness. The appearance of a new moustache opens up conversations, making the Movember participants a walking billboard, promoting men’s health for the whole month.”

The rise in popularity of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have helped give the project even more exposure. You can follow the hashtag or official Movember account on Twitter, join their Facebook group, or check out their Flickr stream showcasing mustaches from past years’ events.

But it’s not all fun and facial fur. So far this month, Movember’s raised over 20 million dollars internationally — that’s a lot of mustache wax!

If you or someone you know has been affected by prostate or testicular cancer, please consider donating to this cause. If you just want to come out in support of mustaches, there will be Movember Gala Parties taking place across the globe in early December.

Remember: sometimes a mustache isn’t just a mustache. It’s an attractive facial hair embellishment that can save lives.