Stereotypically sported by bikers, Oakland A’s pitchers from the ‘70s, and guys driving windowless vans, the moustache in recent years has become a cultural phenomenon that has taken over the month of November.
Of all the men with facial hair in Long Beach, barely anyone knew the philanthropic mission behind Movember.
“I’ve heard of ‘no-shave November,’ but I didn’t know it was for prostate cancer,” Cal State Long Beach senior social work major Taylor Holm said.
Over pints of beer in a Melbourne, Australia pub, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery pondered where the “mo,” Australian slang for the moustache, had gone. In an attempt to bring back the mo, Garone and Slattery developed a campaign, inspired by the breast cancer campaign, to fundraise and create awareness for prostate cancer by finding 30 “Mo Bros” to partake in the first Movember in 2003, according to Movember.org.
Barely any funds were raised that first year, but the original Mo Bros grew ‘staches with such gusto that the originators decided to take Movember to the next level. Garone and Slattery established the Movember Foundation as an official charity and even designed a set of rules for the event:
1. Each Mo Bro must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face.
2. For the entire month of Movember each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache.
3. There is to be no joining of the mo to your sideburns. That’s considered a beard.
4. There is to be no joining of the handlebars to your chin. That’s considered a goatee.
5. Each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.
The year after its conception, Movember raised more than $40,000 and was still confined to Australian borders.
Movember has exploded on a global scale since its humble beginnings. In 2012 Movember raised $147 million from more than 3 million Mo Bros in 21 participating countries on five different continents. The campaign has broadened its scope to address other men’s health issues including testicular cancer and mental health, according to Movember.org.
The Movember Foundation is fighting for the staggering number of men affected with health problems. According to Movember Foundation figures, one in six men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Recently, the foundation has added men’s mental health to their mission, as studies show that 6 million men are diagnosed with depression each year.
There are a variety moustaches sported by the Mo Bros. The 2013 staple ‘stache is the bushy upper-lip sweater called the “chevron,” which was made famous in the ‘80s by Tom Selleck. The other classics are the Asian-inspired Fu Manchu, the handlebar moustache worn by 19th century English gentleman, and the pencil moustache of the Frenchmen.
San Diego State University senior psychology major Zack Stevens said he is sporting the “chevron.”
“I grew my ‘stache for Halloween. I was Ron Burgundy,” Stevens said. “My girlfriend hates it, but I’m keeping it,”
Even though Stevens is rocking a quality flavor saver, he would be disqualified for breaking rule number one.
Men attempting to grow a mo are weeded out during the initial growth stage as heinous ridicule is dished out by friends and sometimes even strangers.
Cal State Fullerton alumnus Wayne Gladman said it is not only challenging to grow facial hair but to flaunt it as well.
“I had to shave the ‘stache,” Gladman said. “It was getting gross and the pedophile jokes were brutal.”
Whether you grew for a cause or just to take a break from shaving, Movember is not only a good excuse to grow a moustache, but an opportunity to spread awareness.