Chinese men less in the know about why to grow this November

The charity initiative Movember is making a furry but slow entrance in Beijing. A word fusion of mustache and November, the month long event invites men to grow a mustache on the 11th month of the year to raise funds and spread awareness for men's health issues. Popular in countries like the UK and Australia, Movember is coming to China mainly at the hands of foreigners, who are promoting it among friends. The alert is out for gentlemen and ladies [fear not girls, in your case, a fake one will do]. So whether you fancy it pen-thin, Tony Leung style or macho fuzzy inspired by Tom Selleck, don't forget that this month a tash can mean cash for a valuable cause.

"It's a great charity and a funny way to raise money and awareness for issues that men don't really like to talk about," said Mike Charlton, part of self-named team The Folicals. "It's not so much that issues like prostrate cancer are a taboo, but more of a macho thing that makes men avoid the doctor until the last minute and only when they feel really sick," noted Charlton, a consultant who's been in Beijing since 2008.

Originally from Scotland, Charlton is the only one of the seven-member team living in Beijing. The others are in the UK. "Movember is quite well publicized in the UK, but I guess is still new to China. I know some guys who are doing it here but they're all foreigners." Charlton participated in Movember for the first time last year encouraged by another British friend.

Currently there are only two teams actually registered in Beijing: the Beijing Moers and Harrow International School Beijing. All participants started clean-shaven on November 1 and emailed friends and colleagues asking for sponsorship. Nicknamed the Mo Bros, they are posting online the photos that show the progress of their Mos throughout the month. Mustaches of any shape or size are welcome; beards and goatees are, on the other hand, not.

Chinese men less in the know about why to grow this November

Let the Mo grow

"Never heard of Movember, but it sounds like an amusing way to remind men not to play with their health," noted Mingming Zhang, a 28-year-old Beijinger. "Movember sounds interesting. I will participate in the activity," Shegan Renliang posted on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. Although no Chinese team registered at the official Movember website, several individuals are taking part in the initiative by posting their photos online. However, many of them live abroad and heard of Movember through foreign employers. Other web users deemed the cause "worthy" and "meaningful."

The charity event was born in 2003 by a group of 30 Australians looking for a laugh over a bet to see who could grow the best facial hair in a month. Later on they decided to attach a purpose to the idea and thought the project had fundraising potential. So they established the Movember Foundation. Movember has since grown to a major happening, with 14 countries officially joining in and thousands of people taking part all over the world. The Movember Foundation claims to be the largest NGO fundraiser for prostate cancer worldwide and donates its funds to the Prostate Cancer Charity and Everyman, which invest in research into prostate and testicular cancer.

 
Chinese men less in the know about why to grow this November

Lady Mo Mo

Even if you're not a mustache lover, women are encouraged to show solidarity with the "tache" movement by wearing a fake one. "I guess it'd be a very dangerous question to ask a lady to grow a mustache to participate in Movember," laughed Charlton, but definitely appreciates support from women. Next to their husbands and boyfriends, some are proudly showing off theirs on Weibo too. Inspired by the cause, American Internet video director Angeline Gragasin has also published Kiss a Mustache, a short film showing what it feels like to kiss a whiskered man.

Several Beijing bars are using drinks to stir up support, offering promotions, endorsing teams and giving away prizes for the best local Mos. Karl Long, owner of Paddy O'Shea, confirmed that the bar is offering double pours on all house drinks for Mo customers in November and awards for the best mustaches following last year's successful campaign. At Grinders you can buy Movember themed T-shirts for 100 yuan ($16), with all proceeds for charity. Meanwhile, Great Leap Brewery is supporting fundraising efforts by donating five yuan of every beer bought. Mao Mao Chong and The Stumble Inn are also listed as Mo bars.

For more info visit www.movember.com or www.facebook.com/MovemberBeijing

 
Chinese men less in the know about why to grow this November