First there was Movember (link here) - now there's Julyna. From the website:
Julyna was dreamt up by a group of girls sitting around a booth at Le Petit Castor, in Rosedale, Toronto. It was mid-November, right around the time that Movember (The global charity that raises funds and awareness for men’s health through the power of the moustache) was in full swing. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could grow out our mustaches?” one of us said after a sip of her pink panther. “Well, I’m sure I could grow one,” another laughed. At that very moment there was a suggestion, “Why don’t we start a charity to raise money for cervical cancer? What about calling it muffember, or bevember, or vulvember…?” The names kept coming but it wasn’t until many months later that we came up with the term “Julyna.” The cause was obvious--as all of us knew someone who had experienced cervical cell dysplasia or cancer. Hence, Julyna was born and the rest is history.The rules for Julyna are simple: Women will spend the month of July exercising creativity and personal wellness by choosing a style for their hair down there and sticking to it—as a fundraising technique. Women don’t have to leave it au naturel, or choose a standard pattern like “The Charlie Chaplin.” They can make something up. Get creative! Not only do we hope that Julyna raises funds for cervical cancer, but also that the added attention drawn below the belt will inspire women to take care of this area in other ways, i.e. through scheduled Pap tests or by discussing the HPV vaccine with their family doctors. I’ve been getting a lot of people saying “I won’t get to see the designs, so why would I give money without proof?” First of all, people give money to marathon runners and it’s rare that they will actually see him/her running. Secondly, do you really need proof of the handy work to give money to a cause that will ultimately result in saving the lives of many women? That’s right, I didn’t think so! So to all you philanthropists out there—get creative and get generous. And, if you don’t want to style your hair for money, please donate to the cause by sponsoring someone who is participating in Julyna this year.
The website offers up some design inspirations. I particularly like the David Suzuki:
david
Nothing says protecting public climate, reconnecting with nature and building community like the David Suzuki style. If you’re looking for a way to offset your carbon footprint, this is not it. But this guilt free, low maintenance style conserves grooming energy by teetering on the verge of being au natural.
For more information and how to get involved, visit the Julyna website here.