I joined the Movember movement!

No, it’s not a typo.

I’m going to grow a mustache!

On my way to one of the small coffee shops with strong coffee and strong wifi I noticed a change from a few days back: one of the beautiful paintings on the side of a gallery had been replaced by a giant mustache.

I had to investigate. Inside there was an exhibition of famous mustache owners, like Freddy Mercury. And a number of other people who sported a new hip mustache over their lips.

It is funny how fashion changes. In the 70s, I remember men growing mustaches. Later on, it was frowned upon and outright condemned.

Today, try to count the hipsters you see with a nicely groomed mustache. Impossible. They are everywhere.

Movember though is about something else than fashion. It’s about Men’s health. I had heard about it and seen bits and prides on Facebook in the past years… I thought it was about prostate cancer.

But it’s much bigger, comprising testicular cancer and men’s health issues in general, and raising awareness for them.

You know men and their “Oh, it’s nothing, it’ll go away, I don’t need a doctor…”-attitude.

I talked to Greg, from Melbourne of all places, where the Movember movement started, in cool, hipster Fitzroy.

He explained me about the movement, the rules, and how to participate. And I signed up.

It’s all simple. On 1 November I’ll get myself a clean shave.

And then, for a month, I’ll grow a mustache.

Now that I committed to it publicly here, I guess I’ll have to do it. And I’ll document it.

Hey, I might even let you vote about the shape you want me to grow.

Thank god I am traveling. If it’s awful, no one I really know will see it and be harmed mentally.

You can even support me and donate to Movember on my Movember page. Check to see which programs they are funding.