What Is Movember? Is It Still A Thing?

Remember, remember that thing called Movember? Moustaches, beards, the lot?
I see no reason why hairy face season should ever be forgot*.

You don’t hear as much about Movember as you used to, so I thought I’d research whether this project was still happening. Let’s take a look at what Movember is, why things seem to have quietened down on the Movember-activism front, and what you can do to support its original causes.

How Movember Started

Movember is a worldwide initiative which takes place throughout November annually with the aim of raising awareness and funds for male-specific health issues. This began as fundraising to combat prostate cancer & testicular cancer and evolved to include men’s mental health issues & suicide prevention.

How to raise funds for Movember

People were encouraged to raise funds for these admirable causes by being sponsored to ‘grow your mo’ – a moustache and/or a beard. In time another Movember initiative was included: MOVE.

MOVE asked people to get sponsored for being active every day during November, thereby raising more funds for the causes mentioned above.

Is Movember Still Happening?

Although you can still be sponsored to ‘grow your mo’, to MOVE for Movember, or another fundraising activity of your choosing, you don’t hear as much about Movember as you used to on social media or on the TV. Why is that?

I believe the main reasons for the Movember hype-decline in recent years are:

  • A natural fatigue to any social media trend or activism project
  • Controversy around the ‘grow your mo’ trend overshadowing the more important fundraising aspect
  • Movember originated as a gendered initiative, with the language surrounding the project dated and possibly offensive to some. Anatomy is not automatically linked to gender for everyone.

The Movember project is still happening on an annual basis, but due to the reasons above you may not see it shouted about on social media and in TV shows as much as you used to. Greater awareness of the symptoms of prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health issues is always needed, as are funds to help combat these problems.

Funds to benefit the movement, and sharing helpful, up-to-date information are obviously more important than getting great reach on Tiktok or Instagram for growing the best ‘mo.

Prostate Cancer Awareness

prostate cancer awarenessMost of us are already aware of prostate cancer, and previously I’ve written about the limited use of labelled awareness months when it comes to genuinely helping to solve global health & social issues. That said, we all have busy everyday lives. Pausing to reflect on this cause, sharing information about symptoms and donating what you can to combat diseases all help.

The official Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is September. However, whatever month of the year it may be, why not take a little time out of your usual schedule to educate yourself about prostate cancer – the symptoms, how to check yourself or your partner and available treatments? Share this post on your social media, or you can find more helpful information at cancer.org and prostatecanceruk.org.

Prostate Cancer Facts & Figures

In the UK:

  • Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in those with a prostate.
  • More than 52,000 people with a prostate are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average – that’s 143 men every day.
  • Every 45 minutes someone dies from prostate cancer – that’s more than 12,000 people every year.
  • 1 in 8 people with a prostate will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
  • Around 475,000 people are living with and after prostate cancer.

How To Check Your Prostate

SELFchek prostate health test kit for at homeThe prostate is a walnut-size gland in AMAB** people, located underneath the bladder and around the urethra. The purpose of the prostate is to help make semen, the fluid which carries sperm.

Due to the location of the prostate, it is tricky to check it yourself at home, in the hands-on method a doctor would use. Doctors are able to check your prostate for you during a rectal examination, using a gloved, lubricated finger to check that the size, shape and texture of your prostate is normal.

You may prefer to use a Self-Check Prostate Test Kit which detects prostate-related abnormalities via a finger-prick blood test. These are widely available and not too expensive. For example, there are kits available for home delivery from Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug in the UK.

Myth-Busting: Prostate Stimulation & Prostate Cancer

It was once widely believed that regular prostate massage helps reduce the risk of contracting prostate cancer. My research has found that this is far from medical fact. Small studies seemed to imply that regular prostate massage led to a decreased risk of prostate cancer but there just simply isn’t enough scientific evidence to claim definitively that this is the case.

“There are some studies whose results have shown that men who ejaculate more have a lower risk of prostate cancer. But the difference is extremely small, and not significant enough to recommend it as a means of preventing cancer.”hellodoctor.com.ph

“The jury is still out on whether frequent ejaculation reduces someone’s risk for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer also has its own considerations, treatments, and therapies, and massaging the prostate is not a recommended treatment.”ro.co/health-guide 

“Prostate massage is not a procedure that, in general, promotes health or prevents prostate cancer… Some people believe that prostate massage has cancer-fighting benefits. While prostate massage has not been proven to prevent prostate cancer directly, it may be used to reduce prostate inflammation.”health.usnews.com

Despite busting the myth that prostate massage will definitely reduce your risk of contracting prostate cancer, there’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy regular prostate massage just for fun!

You can be aware of prostate cancer symptoms, regularly get checked out by a medical professional, AND enjoy the intense sensations and orgasms delivered by one of the many fantastic prostate massagers available.

Hot Octopuss plex with flex anal prostate vibrating stimulator toy

Men’s Health Goes Beyond Anatomy

Men’s health – everyone’s health – goes beyond anatomy. The Movember initiative has come to incorporate being aware of the onset of mental health issues, the symptoms, and how to get help or help someone else who is struggling.

Movember and men's mental health issuesOne of the main aims of the mental health branch of Movember is to prevent suicide, but it’s important to realise that people can suffer alone, in silence and for years without suicide necessarily being on the cards. Some people feel that just isn’t an option for them – which, while preventing a needless death, is often an excruciating torment of its own. I speak from sad experience here.

Mental health struggles are still seen as taboo to share with friends or even health practitioners, although raised awareness and a more focussed approach by the media in association with medical experts in recent years is slowly changing that.

Just as you can suffer with a broken bone, a virus, infection, a cancer… you can suffer from poor mental health. Your brain is another part of your body; your serotonin levels, hormone levels and others all play a part in influencing how you feel on a day-to-day basis, as well as genetic factors, life experiences and current circumstances.

Movember and men's mental health issuesWhen it feels that some or all of the above are conspiring against you, it’s no wonder that many struggle while living with depression and other mental health problems.

Although health and anatomy aren’t necessarily linked to gender, it’s a fact that men have historically found it more difficult to speak out about mental health issues due to our patriarchal society and the ever-present toxic masculinity. Boys don’t cry, man up, be a man – these types of phrases are NOT helpful. We all have emotions, hormones, feelings… we are all human.

At this juncture I could put all the depression/anxiety/suicide prevention helplines here for you… but in the absolute depths of depression are you really going to pick up a phone and talk to a stranger about your struggles? I know that personally, that route doesn’t feel right for me.

As the genius Bo Burnham says, “I’ll bother getting better when I bother getting dressed”:

What I would strongly urge you to do is to tell someone. Someone you know, someone you trust, someone who cares about you and will gently guide and support you in the best ways for you.

As well as talking to a friend or family, or if you don’t have someone like that, please make an appointment with your doctor to tell them about it. I know it can seem impossible to get out of bed, get dressed and go – but it is absolutely vital that you get the counselling and medication you need to help you continue in life, and to get better (as impossible/far away as that may seem right now).

If you can’t physically get to the doctor for whatever reason, try to arrange a telephone or Zoom appointment at the very least.

In Conclusion

Although Movember may not enjoy its original momentum on social media and on TV, this initiative is still worth your consideration. Educate yourself about the stats and symptoms of prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Share helpful information online. Check yourself regularly and schedule a doctor’s appointment for a health MOT.

Still want to grow your ‘mo? Go ahead! But if you’re going to tag in #Movember, make sure you’re actively helping the cause rather than jumping on a #socmed trend for the clout. Get sponsored -and be as loud about the fundraising aspect, and why the funds are needed, as you are about your awesome facial hair creations.

Wishing you all health & happiness throughout November -and always!

Cara Sutra Signature

*In case you’re not aware of the remember, remember, the 5th of Novemberrhyme, and if you’re not from the UK there’s no reason to be, this is my Movember-themed homage.

**Assigned male at birth

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