Sitting in the Houstonian office over a year ago, my co-workers and I brainstormed ways to make the fake month of No Shave November relevant. We came up with “No Shave November for Testicular Cancer Awareness” (NSNTCA) and I spent November of 2007 without putting a razor to my face.
Last year’s column about the event, “Join the Revolution: No Shave November,” elicited three reactions:
1. Someone named Martin Spellman told me I had a good topic but was an idiot.
2. My girlfriend boycotted my face (and will resume the boycott this year).
3. I received an email from a TC survivor.
“Mr. Honeycutt wrote a piece on No-Shave November for Testicular Cancer Awareness. I was curious to find out more information regarding the event. Was this started at SHSU or it a larger event. As a TC survivor I am currently in the process of starting a non-profit organization for testicular cancer. This event is one of the most unique events I’ve seen and I am very interested in learning more. Sincerely, Mike Craycraft.”
NSNTCA follows a simple procedure, but for those who don’t know: Step one: Shave your face October 31st. Step two: Don’t shave before December 1st.
Currently, No Shave November for Testicular Cancer Awareness is a symbolic movement. There is a Facebook group that everyone can and should join, but that is the extent of this revolution. With more exposure, funding and sponsorship, this can become a very important non-profit organization at Sam Houston State.
There are several ways that NSNTCA will grow in the coming years. First and foremost, receiving Greek sponsorship will generate the financial support and organization to get it off the ground. It should be easy to start selling shirts or ribbons and donating the proceeds to charities or research related to TC.
After becoming a campus presence, NSNTCA must network with local hospitals, businesses and other non-profit organizations to make it a more relevant force. Eventually, we will be able to market the idea to other universities across the nation.
This is an historic year. In 1870, the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, allowing all citizens the right to vote, regardless of race. Less than a century and a half later, Barack Obama becomes the first African-American president-elect. In 1913, Taft’s presidency ended, and so did facial hair in the White House.
I urge everyone affiliated with Sam Houston-from Dr. Gaertner and Rhett Bomar, to Sammy Bearkat and our greenest freshmen-to support NSNTCA.
This isn’t a nation of men with patchy facial hair or full beards. This is a nation of men, willing to resist shaving for a greater cause. It is time to bring beards back.