There was a time in the not so distant past where growing a mustache was kinda crazy. The sheer idea of going full blown Duck Dynasty was not only crazy, but frowned upon by everyone.
Then along cam "Movember".
Movember is a movement to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other forms of male cancer. Participants are encouraged to shave their faces clean at the start of the month, and maintain the upkeep of a mustache, while shaving the rest of the beard. Mustaches have always been considered ironic, but for this month, it’s a sign of awareness.
The movement’s beginnings can be traced all the way to Adelaide, Australia, in 1999. Since then it has become a global phenomenon and a fun way to raise awareness for several kinds of male cancer, especially prostate cancer, which is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death in males worldwide. So, it’s a very important movement.
Over the last five years, the Movember movement has become so big that it has influenced the year round idea that growing facial hair is "cool."
Today, beards and mustaches are as common in board rooms and Paris runways as it is on Main Street America.
So, in a world filled with perfectly groomed beards, will people stop growing mustaches and forget the movement all together?
HELLLL NO.
In fact, the movement is stronger than it's ever been. Here are the latest stats from the Movember Foundation's 2015 Annual Report:
In 2015, the Movember USA Foundation raised over $770 million dollars!
The Movember Foundation helped fund over 1,200 projects focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention.
Since starting in 2003, when the company started with only 30 "Mo Brothers", the movement has grown globally to over five million!
That's 5,232,625 MO BROS & MO SISTAS to be exact!
If you would like to join the Movember movement and help raise money for a good cause, check out the link below. Being cool is only a few unshaven weeks away!
Click here to head to the Movember website!