Written by Erin Taylor (she/her), Third year History student
What is Movember?
During November, every year, men around the world grow moustaches to raise awareness surrounding men’s health issues. This includes raising awareness on men’s suicide to prostate and testicular cancer. The campaign also helps to raise funds for the Movember Foundation who organise community projects and schemes for men that actively help to nurture their health and also funded the development of numerous inventions, therapies and diagnostic tests for prostate cancer.
The Movember Foundation and Their Mission:
Their mission is to improve general mental health and reduce risk of suicide through these 6 policies:
1. Education – helping to strengthening male social connections and giving people the knowledge they need to start tackling issues in the early stages;
2. Conversations that matter – helping to create a world that facilitates comfortable conversations for men and boys;
3. Services that work for men – ensuring services are designed to suit the needs of men;
4. Bright minds, brought together – ‘funding innovating projects’ and sharing their discoveries globally;
5. Community first – ensuring a diverse range of support is available in local communities and understanding that ‘there’s no one-size-fits-all solution’;
6. Advocating for all men – pushing for governments to realise and understand male issues, and ‘demanding action’.
Movember has established a number of local ‘suicide prevention projects’ across the country including Brother’s Through Boxing and the Men’s Pie Club which seek to improve physical and mental health, break male-stereotypes, improve fitness and forge new friendships.
Their global projects range from Farmstrong to the Indigenous Land Based Programs. Farmstrong looks to aid farmers in sustaining their own wellbeing in a profession that requires them to consistently put others first, sometimes ‘at the risk of their own mental health’. Meanwhile, their Indigenous Land Based Programs in Canada aim to help Indigenous men to acquire ‘belonging and purpose’ through reconnecting with traditional methods of harvesting land. Other projects include Family Man, involving men in parenting programmes; and Well Beings which uses the media to raise awareness of mental health and ‘reduce stigma’.
According to the Movember website, 1 man on average commits suicide every minute worldwide and 3 out of 4 suicides in the UK are by men. A research article (not associated with the charity) published earlier this year stated that ‘consistent evidence has been found worldwide’ that indicates ‘men are far less likely to seek help for mental health challenges’. The article addresses how gender norms within society may have created a stigma around men seeking help and participants within their study reported fears of ‘negative social repercussions including being perceived as inadequate or unmanly’. So Movember’s mission to educate people on men’s health and facilitate these conversations is really important – and so is your help!
How Can You Get Involved?
Participate in some of the following initiatives to raise awareness and money.
1. Grow a Moustache
It’s pretty self explanatory, raise money this month through growing a new moustache!
Sign up here: https://uk.movember.com/get-involved/moustaches
2. Move for Movember
Run or walk 60km across the month: 60km for the 60 men lost to suicide every hour globally.
3. Mo your Own Way
Organise your own fundraising activity, alone or in a group.
Sign up here: https://uk.movember.com/get-involved/mo-your-own-way
Moving Forward
Aside from fundraising during the month of November, it’s important that we work towards creating a world where men’s health is better understood and promoted through day-to-day changes in our own lives. This includes promoting men’s mental health, making sure to instil consistent habits that encourage a healthy lifestyle, from social connection to physical fitness. It also means destigmatising mental illness and creating safe environments where the people around you feel comfortable reaching out for help. Finally, it’s vital that we all take responsibility for educating ourselves on men’s physical health so we can catch and tackle any issues early on.
Sources:
Movember Website: https://uk.movember.com/about/mental-health
P, Sharp. ‘People say men don’t talk, well that’s bullshit’: A focus group study exploring challenges and opportunities for men’s mental health promotion’ (2022) PLos One 17:1, 1-17.