YouSpeak: What Is No-Shave November?

Growing facial hair for a good cause

November 12, 2012

Joe Chan

Erik Duda

Something strange is happening: the leaves are gone, but facial hair seems to be thriving, or in some cases, struggling to thrive. The annual ritual of no-shave November, also known as Movember, is as plain as the hair on many a man’s face. What does it mean? The answer is a bit more serious than the strange shapes and sizes of beards and mustaches seen on the sidewalks of Comm Ave. And it’s way more useful. Movember—a combination of the words “moustache” and “November”—is a monthlong display of facial hair, and it’s intended to raise awareness of (and money for) prostate and testicular cancer research.

The grand finale, just after Thanksgiving, typically involves a celebration, and a grand display of what the deliberate avoidance of a razor can do.

This week’s “YouSpeak” asks, “What is no-shave November?”

“YouSpeak” typically appears each Monday.

If you have a suggestion for a question you’d like us to ask, post it in the comments section below.

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Comments & Discussion

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There are 8 comments on YouSpeak: What Is No-Shave November?

I suggest a benefit where guys pay five dollars (ish) to enter a contest for best facial hair with proceeds going to charity with the winner getting his picture posted in the BU paper or online and possibly getting some sort of gift certificate or dropping the puck at a BU hockey game or something cool like that… just a thought

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Just setting the record straight. “No-shave November” has absolutely nothing to do with Movember – other than the fact that it is a cheap rip-off of Movember. In my opinion all No-shave November is, is an excuse for laziness.
On the other hand, Movember is an actual charity organisation which has raised over $300 million dollars for prostate/testicular cancer and men’s depression, not to mention a lot of awareness about these issues (e.g. for men to get check-ups, etc).
And for you gents wondering which ’cause’ to join; “The moustache has always been the sign of a gentleman. The term ‘barbarian’ was applied to men who wore beards because they were a lesser type of man.”
For mo’ info visit, http://us.movember.com/about/ and register to raise funds and/or donate yourself if you can! It’s a wonderful cause.

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Ed V

November 20, 2012 at 11:30 am

Thanks for clarifying. I can dump the beard and leave the moustache, what a relief.

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Mo Sista

December 4, 2012 at 9:03 pm

Thank you for clarifying Mo Bro!! I love this line, so true: “The moustache has always been the sign of a gentleman. The term ‘barbarian’ was applied to men who wore beards because they were a lesser type of man.” Movember Rules!

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