By Marcella Moore
According to The Global Statistics, men are 4x more likely to commit suicide than women, have higher cancer death rates, and are 50% less likely to visit the hospital than women. This is one of the huge motivators behind Movember and why it should be incorporated into Tri-C’s schedule every year.
Movember is a globally growing movement that takes place in November. The purpose is to encourage men’s health practices and conversations to address the many problems that men face from physical to mental health. Movember is a movement, a non-profit, and a month of awareness.
To participate, men commit to growing their mustaches during the month of November. The mustache is meant to be symbolic for sparking a conversation of health awareness amongst men. Additionally, men begin regular health practices. Some may “move for Movember” where you walk or run a total of 60km within the month. Men may set another fitness goal that they want to commit to to foster their health. Some people may sponsor the Movember page, donating or adding Movember to one’s list of recipients for the holiday season.
Organizations can host events and panels that provide resources and open the room for discussion. Lastly, creating the space to listen. Creating safe spaces for men to communicate their lifestyle habits, mental health, or check-ins is a habit that’s encouraged. The goal being to normalize men speaking up when they’re not okay, or simply to discuss changes they want to make.
As this movement grows worldwide, there is undoubtedly an importance of acknowledging and participating in this movement at Tri-C. In addition to the resources that Tri-C already provides, Movember also has resources on their website specifically tailored to men’s physical and mental health. This includes resources for housing, food, emergency mental health services, drug addiction services, and more. However, beyond just having the services, the purpose of Movember is for men seeking help to become the norm. It’s to encourage men to seek out healthy ways of preventative care, emergency care, and routine care.
While there’s been great progress in encouraging self-care, there are still many people who do not know how to healthily address their needs, or where to go to get them addressed. Simple barriers can become big ones when the next step is new and unfamiliar. What’s noticeable about many deaths reported statistically is that many men don’t go to get help until it’s too late, if ever. It’s important that the resources aren’t just provided, but a norm of checking in, communicating with professionals, and taking necessary steps for healing or preventative measures are encouraged and made normal.
