Each November, men all over the world choose to grow mustaches and beards. While growing and seeing some amazing facial hair is fun, Movember is much more than that.
The origin of the name
Movember started in 2003 with two friends in Melbourne, Australia. Over a beer, they had a conversation about how the mustache had fallen out of fashion in recent years. What started as a joke to bring back the mustache turned into a charity drive for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. The idea was simple: if you donated, you got to grow a moustache.
Fast forward over 20 years and Movember is the largest charity working to address men’s health needs. The charity is now in multiple countries and has funded 1,320 men’s health projects since its inception. The three health issues Movember focuses on are men’s mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
What’s in a name?
While Movember continues to operate as a registered organization, the name has grown beyond the charity that started it.
Many businesses and nonprofits host annual events under the name Movember. Many groups donate funds from their events back to the Movember charity, while others donate to other causes or simply raise awareness.
The name Movember has become synonymous with growing facial hair in an effort to raise funds or encourage conversation among men and the people who love them.
Keeping it local
Movember continues to grow internationally, However, in Greene County, we’re keeping things local in an effort to remove the stigma around men’s mental health and encourage men to talk with each other.
“Hey man, you good?” is a campaign focused on encouraging men in Greene County to check in with the men in their life while being open and honest about how they are feeling. Launched in 2023, the campaign has helped equip individuals, groups, employers and organizations with tools, data and conversation starters.
Men in Greene County over age 45 are at the highest risk of dying by suicide. Among men surveyed in the area, 68% report having a poor mental health day at least once a week. 67% report finding it hard to tell people they have mental health problems.
These numbers are alarming, and “Hey man, you good?” is working to combat the ever-present stigma for men who live with mental health occurrences.
Read more about “Hey man, you good?” and learn how you can get involved in area mental health efforts.
What can you do?
Now that November is here, we encourage people to get involved:
- Find a local business or non-profit hosting a Movember event or campaign.
- Start your own event or fundraiser. Movember provides ideas for doing your own thing.
- Grow a mustache for the month of November as a conversation starter about men’s health.
- Schedule your annual physical or prostate examination.
- Reach out to the men in your life and ask them, “Hey man, you good?” Listen earnestly and without judgement.
Learn more
You can learn more about the history of the Movember charity and all the ways they are working to make a difference by visiting the Movember website.