An in-depth look at No-Shave November

No-Shave November: To not partake in the use of a razor for the entire month of November. (Urban Dictionary definition)

How and when did this tradition of manly men come about? Why is it in November? What compels people for this particular month to stop shaving and let nature take its course? I am both puzzled and intrigued by the social phenomenon that leads to most men in relationships suddenly not getting any, and that drives women even further away from all single men.

At the moment I am in fact participating in the event, for reasons my rational mind cannot comprehend, although I’m not sure how long I’ll last. Another thing that bothers me is that my birthday is right in the middle of the month, so it’s always a dilemma whether to keep the beard or get rid of it in time for my birthday so that there’s some chance a female will get within 5 feet of me.

So let’s examine this unique American custom that’s partaken by a wide age range, from boys in high school through men in adulthood, starting with how it came about in the first place. The actual origin of the holiday is unknown, and its exact inception as a national practice will probably forever be a mystery. That said beards have always symbolized masculinity. Early man had beards because there simply was no alternative. Men had beards in the middle ages because the extra facial hair was believed to ward off evil spirits, invading foreigners, and the plague. In more modern times, beards have been seen as a representation of rebellion against society in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and as associated with the Grunge movement in the ‘90s.

But all this history of beards still doesn’t explain why every November men all across the country thrown down their razors. In my opinion, there could be a couple underlying motives for why this happens.

Besides the obvious influence of peer pressure: “everyone else has a beard and you don’t so you’re a coward”, it could have to do with men trying to take a larger measure of control over their own lives.

November falls around the time in the year where many men are tired of school, tired of work, tired of chasing after the opposite sex, tired of the weather getting colder, and wishing it was still Halloween. At this point in a man’s life, what choice does he have but to grow a damn beard, to prove to himself and everyone else that he’s a man.

Here’s a quote I found that I think embodies the true spirit of No-Shave November:

"There are two kinds of people in this world that go around beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one." -Unknown

Some people like to use a more practical approach by saying that No-Shave November helps save you money on shaving cream and razors, and that it saves you time getting ready in the morning. Either that, or you could go with the simpler biological approach of: “it is cold, my face is also cold, I should get something to cover my face…how about a beard.” Feel free to agree with whichever explanation makes more sense to you.

Now a lot of men will make the argument that you should still be able to get laid with the beard, because that’s what real men do and they should be able to do what they want, despite the facial hair preferences of their women. I’m not disputing that logic, but if you’re a single guy out there not wrapped in the cozy confines of a relationship, an unkempt wingman on your face is probably not gonna help your predicament much.

That said, I respect and enjoy the storied tradition of No-Shave November and while I’m not as devoted to it as others, I see its relevance as an outlet for the primal nature of men to surface for a while, enjoy the fresh air for a month and then be shaved away once more. It’s a way for every man to feel like Grizzly Adams for a while. If you’re a guy who can’t really grow facial hair, thanks for reading but most of this probably wasn’t relevant to you.

So good luck men in your beard growing over the next month, we’ll see who can really stand the test of time and resist shaving. Also, good luck to women in navigating this minefield of facial hair and trying to get as many of us to give in and shave as possible.

Oh, here’s a site I found that makes a very compelling argument for growing a beard. Check it out: http://www.biggerbetterbeards.org

ADDENDUM: For anyone who happens to go back and read this post, here is an awesome chart that shows how to classify your facial hair.