It’s that dreaded time of year again: the temperature is dropping, it’s getting dark earlier, and worst of all: it’s Movember. This means you will be seeing boys around campus growing out their facial hair to honor the tradition of “No Shave November.” The purpose of this annual event is to raise awareness for men’s health issues, including prostate cancer and other male cancers.
While the movement supports a great cause, I still believe that most college boys take this as an opportunity to relinquish their responsibility to shave and to express their manliness. In fact, a number of men are completely unaware of the movement’s purpose. When asked why, in his opinion, so many of his friends support the cause, Zack Miles ’14 replied, “What’s the cause?”
A patron of this tradition, Tommy Rosenkranz ’17, confessed that he tried to grow a mustache to show his support, but things went terribly wrong: “During the middle of the night I tasted maple syrup on my mustache from breakfast that morning, and ended up shaving on the spot” (plus he had to look nice for a Bat Miztvah). Don’t let his cleanly-shaven face fool you, however; Tommy will still be supporting the movement by donating to Memorial Sloane Kettering. A+ for Tommy.
The attraction to participate extends beyond college-aged boys. Even high-profile celebrities take initiative to raise awareness for men’s health by growing a stache throughout the month. Nick Offerman, affectionately known as Ron Swanson from NBC’s Parks and Recreation, is one of the main promoters of the movement, although his impeccable mustache seems to last all year long.
While I whole-heartedly support the idea behind the movement, I urge the men of Yale to follow the valuable lesson Tommy has taught us: you can support the cause without giving up that beautifully clean face that girls love.