No Shave November is, as the name implies, an annual tradition in which men do not shave for the entire month of November. The concept of men growing their facial hair is to raise awareness of men’s prostate health. No Shave November has its roots in the slightly older Movember, the international version in which men grow mustaches in the month of November to promote prostate cancer awareness. Movember, however, allows participants to shave their beard and trim their mustache, where No Shave November does not permit shaving of any sort. The tradition of No Shave November is viewed by some as a response to wearing pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness during the month of October.
Movember began in Australia in 1999 and quickly spread throughout the world. Soon Americans had begun celebrating No-Shave November, including some celebrities such as: David Beckham, Brad Pitt and Gerald Butler.
What are the rules of No Shave November?
No Shave November’s rules are simple. On October 31st, male participants are to shave off all facial hair. Participants are encouraged to take a picture at this point to prove they did not chicken out and to compare before/after pictures at the end of the month. No shaving, trimming, or shaping is allowed during the month of November. On December 1st, all male participants can finally shave. Of course, if a participant does not want to shave they don’t have to. Many people choose to opt out of the challenge and instead partake in donating to a local charity. There are charities that allow people to donate the money you would usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate others on cancer prevention and help find a cure for those fighting the ongoing battle. Participate by growing a beard, cultivating a mustache, letting those legs get manly, and cancelling that waxing appointment. Have a little competition in you? Get a group together, start your own team and raise funds together to see who can grow the longest beard. Perhaps you are going solo? Set up your own personal fundraising page. There will be those who feel that they are not quite ready to sport a new look. Consider donating anyway to support the cause.
