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November 2025 – Movember
October encouraged us to think about early detection and open conversations centred around women’s health. November is much the same, only this time with men’s health as our focus.
Our reason also stays the same: “awareness saves lives”. Movember shines a light on three health-related issues that are uniquely or predominantly male.
Why, mo?
While breast cancer awareness reminds us that illness knows no gender, Movember calls attention to the fact that men are often less likely to seek medical help until problems become serious.
Societal expectations to remain stoic or to “tough it out” continue to discourage openness, which in turn takes a toll on mental health on a global scale.
The Movember movement unofficially began in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia. Travis Garone and Luke Slattery were among the patrons at a local bar in which ideas, music and conversation flowed as freely as the drinks.
The two friends were casually conversing about recurring fashion trends as they watched the world go by. During their conversation, one of the friends jokingly asked, “Where did moustaches go?”
This light-hearted question brought forth a wave of nostalgia. The thick pyramid moustache Burt Reynolds sported on the silver screen. The chevron that projected the sounds of Freddie Mercury. The cartoonish, like the fiery draping whiskers of Yosemite Sam, and the villainous handlebar moustache of Dick Dastardly. The walrus that swam with Mark Spitz to win seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games. To name but a few examples.
To give this movement a sense of identity and (some) seriousness, a few key rules were made that still guide Movember participants (known collectively as Mo Bros/Sisters) today:
- On November 1st, every participant must have a clean, shaven face to make the transformation noticeable and get people talking.
- Each participant must grow and groom a moustache throughout the month.
- No cheating allowed. Goatees, beards and fake moustaches are banned for maximum impact.
- Finally, conduct yourself like a “true country gentleman.” This was a more lighthearted rule that implies participants must be approachable and respectable, all while having a bit of fun while doing so.
It might sound unusual to frame growing a moustache as a challenge, but in 2003, it certainly was. Adam Garone, Travis’s brother, has openly shared his experiences cultivating lip fuzz. His boss would not let him meet with clients at work, his girlfriend at the time hated it, and numerous parents shielded their children while glaring.
At the end of the month, all 30 Mo Bros gathered for a moustache-themed party, awarding prizes to the worst and best ‘stash, taking pictures, having a great time, sharing how free they felt and yearning for any excuse to legitimise this as an annual event.
That opportunity came in 2004. Inspired by what women around them were doing against breast cancer, a realisation was made that there was no similar charitable cause, like the breast cancer awareness ribbon, at the time.
After further research, Travis and Luke decided this was beyond a two-man operation. They enlisted the help of Adam Garone and Justin Coghlan to help transform Movember into a mainstream campaign. Collectively, they also identified that the ribbon unified people around a cause through fashion, fundraising, and conversations that unite communities.
Each new member brought something crucial to the table:
- Adam, with his background in marketing and design, helped to build the first Movember website that allowed participants to sign up, share updates and track their donations.
- JC was the mouthpiece who reached out to friends, workplaces and community groups to grow the original 30 participants by encouraging more men to join the growing movement.
It was at this stage that the founders began to consider what the moustache could purposefully represent, and it was one that Adam later described in his own words, “married growing a moustache with prostate cancer”.
In 2004, 450 Mo Bros and Mo Sisters raised funds that resulted in the largest single donation to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). It was not until the 31st of December that Movember received official status as an Australian charity under the ACNC.
Since its humble beginnings, Movember has evolved into a global charity movement, active in over 20 countries and funding more than 1,250 men’s health projects.
Movember proves that small and silly ideas can grow into meaningful change. It demonstrates that even the simplest gesture, such as growing a moustache or checking in on someone, can create a life-saving conversation.
What factors would help individuals feel more comfortable discussing their health and well-being?
Should more be done to promote regular health screenings, or would that infringe on personal choice?
What stands out to you most about the Movember movement, and in what ways do you believe it has evolved?
Would it be more effective to address cancer as a collective issue rather than dividing it into gender-specific matters, or do these splits matter?
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