The Movember Movement Supports Men’s Mental, Body Image, and Sexual Health

Movember is an international charity that brings attention to major issues like men’s prostate and testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. During the month of November for the past twenty years, they invite men to grow a “mo” or mustache to raise money and awareness on illnesses that have long remained in the shadows. Each of these diagnoses directly impacts sexual functioning and relational health. Movember has added research showing that body image concerns, commonly associated with women’s mental health challenges, can deeply impact men too. 

The results of a 2025 longitudinal study by Süleyman Agah Demirgül et al. in Sexuality Research & Social Policy echoed the Instagram study cited earlier related to women’s self body image.  Following 3,700 young men and women, researchers found a bidirectional link between pornography use and body dissatisfaction only among men. Men who consumed more pornography at baseline reported greater Body Dissatisfaction one year later, and those that had higher levels of Body Dissatisfaction at baseline reported increased pornography use one year later.

The more pornography men were consuming, the more they developed concerns about their bodies due to the films’ unrealistic display of muscular physique and genital size. This led to not only self-criticism but also an avoidance of intimacy. When heterosexual couples come into treatment for therapy, there is a deeper shame in both partners when they report that the partner exhibiting lower desire is the man. Their female partners sometimes unwittingly contribute to the problem by believing the myth that all men have higher sex drives than women. For couples visiting family/friends or traveling over the holidays, the problem can worsen, privacy disappears  and old family wounds can get triggered, leaving little space for desire or connection.

In a 2022 study, Moynihan, Igou, and van Tilburg found that when people, across genders, felt bored or emotional discomfort, they were more likely to turn to pornography for relief. In addition, men can also use pornography for entertainment and erotic/sexual release. With less privacy for masturbation, men who rely on frequent porn access might also feel emotional and physical tension and project it onto their partner over the holidays.  

Men have been raised in a society that centers on a narrow range of acceptable emotional expressions that align with masculine ideals. While hegemonic masculinity ideals vary depending on racial, regional, cultural, and religious backgrounds, it might be a helpful tool for therapists to invite their male clients to check out Movember’s website as a conversation opener. Encouraging male clients to talk about how their body image, sexual desire, and intimacy behaviors might be impacted during the holiday season can be therapeutic.  

From Critique to Connection

Some evidence-based strategies to help shift self-judgment into connection this season:

• Writing kind notes to oneself: This may sound silly, but it is shown to be effective. The Mindfulness study by Gracias & Stutts (2024) found that short self-compassion writing exercises reduced negative body image. Taking a few minutes to speak gently, self-reflection can really improve body satisfaction and mood.

• Movement for pleasure, not focusing on weight loss: Adding little things like walking, stretching, or dancing to one’s favorite holiday music can elevate dopamine levels and support the body without reinforcing a restrictive mindset.

• Intentional social media boundaries: To protect against unrealistic comparisons, take a step back from scrolling on social media and enjoy the time with loved ones. 

• Ongoing communication about sexual needs and emotional vulnerabilities: Schedule time for open conversation, especially before the hectic holiday season begins, so each partner can express their needs regarding intimacy. Then look at the calendar to intentionally set times to be intimate during the holidays and define what that means for each partner. Honor that time so it centers and emotionally nourishes the mental health and relationship needs of both partners

While these may seem simple and obvious interventions, they do require intention, compassion, and planning. The holidays are filled with external noise, like familial expectations and potential judgments, so using a more curious lens as opposed to a critical one can really change the whole holiday experience. 

How to Go From Feeling Stuffed to Feeling Sexually and Emotionally Satisfied  

When one reports feeling  “stuffed”, it is not only a physical feeling they’re describing but often an attempt to fill up emotional and sexual hunger with food, alcohol, substances, and/or distracting pastimes. True holiday nourishment doesn’t come from restriction or seeking perfection, but from authentic communication, rest, mindful eating, self-acceptance, and sexual intimacy (whether partnered or solo). 

For women who are struggling with negative body image, it’s helpful to journal about what they truly desire over the holiday season. By carving out time and deciding what to say yes or no to, one can begin to practice sexual self-care. That might mean lighting a candle and taking time to reconnect with a person’s own pleasure, or setting aside intentional moments of touch and closeness with a partner.

Similarly, for men, Movember’s message extends beyond physical screenings. This serves as a reminder over the holidays that caring for the body includes planning ahead to care for the mind, emotions, and erotic and sexual pleasure. By the time the holidays wind down, sexual and emotional satiation often comes less from indulgence and more from feeling seen and authentically connected to oneself and to loved ones.