Tenesha Huges
Staff Writer
The month of November is a time where most college students are getting ready for final exams and eagerly awaiting the Thanksgiving break. But November is also known as Cancer Awareness month and students on the campus of Jackson State University are participating in “No Shave November” to show their support.
According to ubrandictionary.com, this is an event to raise awareness, usually for prostate cancer, but also for men’s health in general. The month of November has been dubbed Movember, and participants are dubbed either Mo Bros or Mo Sistas; Mo being short for Moustache.
To participate, you start off with a clean shave on Oct. 31st, and do not shave your moustache for the entire month of November, and then resume your regularly scheduled shaves on Dec. 1st. While this is generally a men’s event, women are welcome to show support as well, via other means.
Aspen Wilson, a freshman mass communications major from Memphis Tenn., is one of those students who is participating.
“I support men’s health. I am a health addict and I absolutely love my body. It’s my way of wide-spreading the issues and importance of staying healthy,” said Wilson.
Not every student is making the decision to participate in the movement, because they already do not shave, regardless of the month. Harold Johnson, a senior integrated marketing major from Chicago Ill. is one of those students.
“I don’t shave because it fights the social norm, especially in business, to be clean shaven. I feel that my beard shouldn’t dictate whether I’m capable of fulfilling certain job requirements,” said Johnson.
He added, “Plus I think its looks pretty cool, so everyone who’s healthy enough to grow their hair out, please do so!”
A lot of people make the personal decision to participate because they feel it’s the “it” thing to do when the month of November rolls around, some don’t know the true meaning of why they should join the movement.
Ladies, don’t think you can’t join the movement because hair does grow on your body too. The most common place for hair to grow is legs and underarms and there are some females who are also participating.
Although Shelsie Nichols, a senior biology/ pre-therapy major from Jackson Miss. said she will not be a part of the movement.
“I just feel like girls shouldn’t participate in not shaving the hair off their body, it just natural for girls to shave anyways,” said Nichols.
Nichols added: “I do understand that it’s for a good cause, and it’s great if there are some girls participating.
According to thejambar.com, in 2004, the Movember foundation was founded and the fundraiser raised $40,000 the first year. Since then, the movement has grown exponentially internationally. The growth the foundation has experienced was evident last year when 854,288 men in more than 15 countries registered to grow moustaches in honor of Movember. Last year, those men and their moustaches were able to raise $126.3 million, which was distributed to various organizations that support men’s health, like the LIVESTRONG Foundation.
Be First to Comment