Quit plucking and start helping. That's the message of a new charity initiative called Decembrow that encourages women to grow out their eyebrows to raise money and awareness for women's issues. (Watch a discussion about Decembrow.) Here, a brief instant guide:
What is Decembrow?
It's a month-long charity initiative launched by the feminist website Feministing. It calls on women to grow — or pencil in — a unibrow for a charitable cause. "Challenging cultural norms about women's facial hair while raising money for a good cause? Now, that's just the kind of thing that gets me in the holiday spirit," says Lori Adelman at Feministing.
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What's the inspiration behind it?
It's inspired in part by "Movember," a November event that has men growing out their mustaches to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer and other men's health issues. Adelman was also inspired by an article she read about the unibrow's popularity in Tajikistan. In that country, women who aren't blessed with such facial hair draw on a unibrow.
How would participants raise money?
As with the Movember campaign, participating women would be expected to ask supporters for pledges. Adelman says the money will go to the International Women's Health Coalition, a global organization focused on women's health issues and reproductive rights.
What has the reaction been?
Mixed. "I find it curious that feminists would choose to embrace facial hair," says Penny Nance, the CEO of Concerned Women for America. In an email to The Daily Caller, feminist writer and author Erica Jong says she also regrets that the initiative focuses on "appearance." That said, "whatever challenges the antifeminist divide-and-conquer strategy of the wingnuts delights and inspires me."
Sources: Feministing, ABC News
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