Following closely on the high heels of October's pink ribbons, "Movember" (the slang marriage of the words November and moustache) is dedicated to Handlebars, Dali's, Imperials or Freestyles, all grown by "Mo Bros" in a campaign to raise awareness of diseases that affect men, particularly prostate and testicular cancer. The Movember movement traces its roots to a group of men in Melbourne, Australia who conceived of the idea in 1999. Also known as "Novembeard," the idea spread quickly around the world.
Mo Bros are expected to follow specific guidelines:
1) They should register at www.movember.com prior to the 1st of November.
1) All participating males must kick off Movember with a clean-shaven face.
2) Mo Bros are expected to grow, groom, trim and wax their mustaches throughout the entire month of November.
3) Moustaches are not to be joined to sideburns.
4) Handlebar mustaches cannot be joined to the chin (this is technically considered a goatee).
5) Lastly, participants must conduct themselves as "true country gentlemen"
In support of their men's health, women who wish to participate (called Mo Sistas) can opt to refrain from shaving their legs and underarms for the 30 days of November (somehow, an idea that probably does better in European countries). Funds raised in the United States through Movember events go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. In 2010, over 64,500 U.S. Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raised approximately $7.5 Million to further men's health awareness.
So support the men in your life by becoming a Mo Bro or a Mo Sista, or just by encouraging our men to go for regular physical exams and to NOT ignore signals their bodies may be sending them. In praise of men, we raise our K-cups to the males of the species - you go, Mo Bro's! May you live long, healthy, cancer-free lives! And if you are a Mo Bro or Mo Sista, we invite you to chronicle your Movember participation on Coffee Break - we'd love to hear from you!
