Here's the Reason You're Going to Be Seeing a Lot of Men With Hairy Faces This Month

Movember. It's not a typo, it's a portmanteau created to promote a cause. During the month of November, men are encouraged to stop shaving and grow a beard or mustache.

Image: Movember.com

The "tradition" started in Australia eleven years ago. According to the Movember website, in 2003, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery were "having a quiet beer" and discussing facial hair and the fading trend of mustaches on men.

The pair decided bring back the mustache (called a "mo" by the Aussies), and challenged a few friends to grow their own mustaches. Garden and Slattery collected $10 from each participant or "Mo Bro." The next year they decided men's charities like prostate cancer awareness would receive the money.

Image: Movember.com

From its humble beginnings in an Australian bar, Movember has grown to a worldwide movement. In 2006, the founders built Movember into an officially licensed charity and two of original thirty left their previous jobs to run the organization.

In 2007, Movember went global, reaching Spain, the UK, America and Australia's neighbor, New Zealand.

This year, the group estimates more than four million "Mo Bros" and "Mo Sistas" will participate in the efforts to bring awareness to a variety of men's health issues.

Movember has also reached the media. For a few years, shows like NBC's TODAY have supported the movement as anchors grew mustaches and viewers were encouraged to send pictures and videos of their facial hair. 

Last week, Jesse Hawkins of the group In The Wilderness posted, "Let It Grow," a song that jumps on the Movember bandwagon. It's a clever parody of the pop smash "Let It Go" from Disney's "Frozen."

The tech website CNET liked it so much they declared that it "should definitely be Movember's official song."

Watch the video:

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