Author: Manna Selassie
Occidental fraternity Phi Kappa Psi (Phi Psi) hosted its 2nd Annual Movember this month. On campus, Movember is known as a month that men grow out their mustaches in solidarity for spreading men’s health awareness. Movember is also an international non-profit organization that runs campaigns to raise awareness and fundraise for testicular and prostate cancer.
For the men of Phi Psi, Movember serves as an important outlet for raising awareness and creating an on-campus discussion about men’s health.
“Movember, for me, is about men not being shy about talking about health issues and that not being just limited to testicular and prostate cancer but also mental health issues — issues that come with men growing up and men getting old,”President of Phi Psi and Diplomacy and World Affairs major Ian Mariani (senior) said. “It can sometimes be something that men don’t want to talk about with other people or other men. Movember definitely encourages people to talk openly about how to stay healthy and aware about these issues.”
With men 24 percent less likely to go to the doctor than women, many are in dire need of a space to feel comfortable seeking and discussing healthcare.
“People don’t make as big a fuss about men’s health issues as other issues, and it is just as real. It [this environment] increases the stigma on men talking abut health issues because of the hyper masculinity that is associated with being a man,” Philanthropy Co-Chair and politics and philosophy double major Adam Rose (sophomore) said. “I think this is something we can do to dissuade that [notion] here.”
Oftentimes, men who are comfortable discussing health issues are ostracized by other men. Movember, as an organization, has tried to bridge the gap between health and masculinity.
“I think for me the big thing is to make Movember an environment where you can discuss these issues, and make it clear to guys suffering from these problems that they can talk about it and there is a community here [at Occidental] to support you,” said Philanthropy Co-Chair and history major Jack Butcher (senior).
Movember did not always make such a big splash at Occidental. Before last November, the men of Phi Psi would grow their facial hair together and raise funds internally within the fraternity.
“Last year, our Philanthropy Chair, Alexander Fried, took us above and beyond,” Butcher said.
Campus-wide events from last year brought Phi Psi’s Movember message to the College. Overall, they raised $3,000 for testicular and prostate cancer research.
This year, events such as the Shave on the Quad and Car Smash returned, but Phi Psi has added a screening of the activist film 50/50, and a discussion of transsexual men’s health issues. The second annual ‘Stache Bash, or “Goatee Gala,” commemorates the end of Movember and the last big fundraiser.
“We’ll have Branco Patio, Morrison Lounge and the Green Bean open [during the Goatee Gala]. The Green Bean will be a silent auction. The patio will have student artists playing music and stuff. We’ll also have a casino night going in the lounge with a bingo table. We are encouraging people to be formal,” Butcher said.
The tickets to the Bash on Nov. 30 will be $7, including chips for the casino night and food provided by Porto’s. The silent auction will include prizes such as meals with professors and backstage passes to Springfest.
One dimension added to the men’s health agenda this year is Transgender men’s health awareness and a discussion of the term “masculinity.” Phi Psi will be bringing in two speakers to address transgender health issues: Jackson Darling, a political activist from Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and Sean Enloe, a transgender health professional.
“The first half is the difference between sex and gender, and how it relates to the trans identity and the connection to that identity and navigating that world as a transperson and how it relates to the concept of masculinity…The second half is going to be answering more medical questions about trans identity,” Rose said.
Phi Psi hopes that the discussion, which will be held tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Fowler 202, will help to emphasize the underlying meaning of Movember.
“Last year, for all of its flare, was very monetarily driven. There’s nothing bad about that, but with [Rose] and [Butcher] bringing in speakers now and screening the movies, I think we are starting to internalize the message in Movember….I hope we can look back in the future and say creating that space became more of a reality,” Mariani said.
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