In honor of “Movember,” TCU’s Interfraternity Council partnered with Fox Barbers to give students, faculty and staff free hot shaves.
The Movember Foundation is a charity that promotes men’s health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, men’s mental health and suicide prevention.
TCU’s IFC Advisor Evan Konecky said it is important for everyone to know what Movember is because men’s health is an issue on every college campus.
“Three out of every four suicides are men, and students on campus are 40 percent men,” Konecky said. “When we talk about testicular cancer, the age range that affects is ages 15 to 34 so, you look at the college demographic and those are students who are 18 to 22 so those numbers show it affects college students directly.”
Konecky said TCU’s IFC has free hot shaves for anyone who wants to participate in Movember so they can get a clean shave before they grow out their facial hair during November. Participating in “no shave November” is another popular way men raise awareness about men’s health – and challenge their friends in an amusing beard off.
Hunter Kral, a junior economics major, said he enjoys participating in the “no shave November” part of the awareness month.
“It is an easy conversation starter for men who can grow facial hair,” Kral said. “It is a fun and easy way to promote it.”
Thomas Magevney, the Beta Theta Pi Movember Representative, agreed about the conversation started aspect of the facial hair.
“We have today to start growing out for November to show a change in the face so people will get the question going and ask, ‘Oh why do you have a mustache, why are you growing out?'” Magevney said. “That way you can start a conversation with people for Movember.”
Magevney said he wants more people to support Movember in order to increase the conversation.
“I really think men’s health is an issue that’s kind of glanced over sometimes,” he said. “I think it’s great to have more and more people who are talking about it.”
Konecky said since they have first started doing free hot shaves three years ago, more people are realizing what Movember is and want to participate in it.
“In our first year, we had about five or six people,” he said. “This year I already know about 20 to 25 men from students to student affair professionals who said I want to come out and get my hot shave today.”
During the whole month of November, TCU’s IFC has scheduled events to raise money and awareness Movember.
“We also ask our IFC chapters to put on their own events as well,” Konecky said. “Some chapters are going to do barbecues, paintball events or their own flag football game to raise money and awareness for Movember.”
The next event is the Movember Recovery Run Friday, Nov. 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. in front of Frog Fountain.
