Magnum likes Movember

November has just begun, and that means that there will be mo’ mos around the street. Why? Because Movember has started as well. While these new little facial hairs will probably significantly reduce the chances of these men getting girls’ phone numbers, it won’t bother them too much as it is for a great cause.

For those too distracted by the fuzzy hair north of the lips to know what Movember is, it is a campaign that started back in 1999 when a group of Melbourne men decided to raise awareness for men’s health issues, namely prostate cancer and depression. Men involved have to register on the first of November with a clean shaven face and grow a moustache and keep it until the end of the month to seek sponsorship for the charity. As the Movember website puts it, the participating men “effectively become walking, talking billboards”, so the cause is very in your face (pun intended). This craze has not only been successful in Australia, but has spread in other countries, such as the United States, South Africa, Britain and Europe.

However, Movember it is not all about the men’s issues. Since moustaches are seen as passé nowadays, men can grow it to have a few laughs with their mates and can be a bit of fun (though the girls will think the mos will have outstayed their welcome if they are still on after December’s started). Men participating have many types of moustaches to choose from: the porn star, the gringo, the abra kadabra, the trucker and many others, just don’t grow a Hitler!

Though unpleasant to look at for some and will give others the giggles, moustaches are no longer just a sign of masculinity. Ever since Movember started, they are now also a symbol for the vulnerability that men go through in a world that demands men to be strong, and is their own way of supporting these issues that many would prefer to be swept under the carpet.

To find out more about Movember visit au.movember.com