I believe that we all need to come together and fight for issues even if they don't directly effect us.
When I was a student leader in college and protesting against increased student fees, I always wondered why students were protesting the issue and why communities weren't in it together.
Every teacher in school, should have had their secondary students marching in the streets, every parent who pays rent and bills should have been on the street and every kid facing increased fees should have been there too with every graduate who knew what increased fees would mean for future students.
Every employer dependent on skilled employees should have weighed in too.
When I was in college, I joined the LGBTQ Society and we had to change the name of the society to LGBF to reflect all the friends who joined. Between my girlfriend and some of her friends, we needed a more Friend friendly name to reflect the small group.
In Madrid, I have been happy to see International Women's Day becoming such a big event and to see all the men carrying children on their shoulders as they marched. We are in this together and I am happy to grow a little hair on my face if it helps.
In fact, I think more men should abandon their razor for the month of November and I remember back in 2011 when I first tried growing a Mo (mustache) and I felt that I had to shave it off as I was attending a few formal events in mid November. The Irish President had just been elected back then and I was invited to an event in Áras an Uactarain.
I remember thinking at the time that the newly electected president should have grown a mo as it is such a simple gesture that means so much to bring about awareness for men's health.
By men's health, we are talking about suicide and testicular cancer but if I didn't have the balls to suggest it to him and his campaign then, then how can I complain about this missed opportunity?
Can you imagine an unshaven president being sworn in? Historically, commentators would have to talk about Movemeber and say that the president didn't actually have a mustache.
They would have to talk about the fact that globally, an estimated 60 men commit suicide every hour.
That's a man a minute, we are losing to suicide.
Coronavirus isn't the only killer out there and wouldn't it be great if President Elect, Joe Biden could have given up on his razor for November to focus attention on men's health? I know it wouldn't be long before some people would start comparing him to Adolf Hitler but let's make facial hair fashionable again, at least for November each year.
There is a missed opportunity here, try grow a beard or some facial hair next Movember but then again who am I to talk when I abandoned my mo so quickly in November 2011?
Men don't always talk and men's health can go unchecked and I fear that we will see a lot of suicides in 2021 as Coronavirus and recession push families to the very very edge.
For more on Movember visit: https://us.movember.com
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