Give & Take: Ask Me About My Mustache

The men and boys in your life are at a disproportionate risk of death by suicide.

According to the CDC’s Suicide Data and Statistics research published this year, suicide rates among men and boys are four times higher than suicide rates among women and girls.

The elevated rate of suicide by men is a sobering public health crisis and addressing it is one of the central missions of the non-profit group, Movember. Playfully named, Movember encourages men to grow mustaches during the month of November to raise awareness  and collect donations in support of preventing men’s health issues like suicide, addiction, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

While I have had a mustache for a number of years now, it’s always meaningful to connect it to Movember every year. Beyond being entertaining, the mustache movement is a powerful conversation starter with those you interact with in your daily life –  from colleagues and clients to friends, family and even strangers.

People will ask, “Is the mustache for that Movember thing?” or even “Are you trying something new?” And I tell them about Movember and the important cause behind it, which occasionally will lead into deeper conversations about the men in our lives and what they have faced or may be facing.

Talking about these topics is important, as doing so directly and indirectly helps address the loneliness that is a major factor in the deaths of despair crisis facing men.

In a survey published by Gallup this May, 25% of boys and men aged 15 to 34 reported feeling “a lot” of loneliness the previous day. Similarly, a 2021 American Perspectives Survey found that 15% of men have no close friendships at all, which has increased fivefold since 1990.

I am hearted by the efforts to combat these issues, from organizations like Movember to policy makers in state governments including California, Michigan, Utah and Maryland. And I’m proud to be part of Prosek’s efforts to contribute to this important movement.

If you can and feel so inspired, consider donating to Prosek’s Movember fundraising page. And if you see someone with a mustache this month, ask them about it.