IN PICTURES: Khalifah Ilyas strips for Movember to raise awareness of men's health issues [NSFW]

MO BROS from across Birmingham have got their kit off this month to raise awareness for Movember, and joining them is fitness model, wrestling coach and charity worker Khalifah Ilyas.

As part of the charity month, guys of all ages and backgrounds have stripped naked to highlight men’s health, testicular and prostate cancer, and male suicide.

The seven featured men from the West Midlands – including straight, gay, bisexual and transgender participants – are all taking part in Movember to encourage fellow men to bare and share their struggles when it comes to serious health issues.

Movember is an international awareness and money raising initiative, which takes place every November. Its main mission is to stop men dying young, and to encourage them to open up about important issues that may affect their wellbeing.

This includes mental health, which many young and old males find hard to talk about. Movember is an opportunity to encourage greater social interaction, improve quality of life for men fighting prostate and testicular cancer, and help men take action against anxiety, depression and male suicide.

According to the Movember website, a man dies by suicide every minute globally; and in the United Kingdom alone, 75% of suicides are men.

The participants in the Birmingham photo series have either experienced mental health battles or testicular cancer scares, in some cases both, and hope to encourage other men to embrace their bodies, check themselves regularly and openly speak about their health.

The special series of portraits, captured by Adam Yosef for I Am Birmingham, also features Brummies Aaron ‘Thaitan’ Turner, Marc Cherrington, Gary Moore, Duka Cavolli, Rahim Uddin and Romario Wanliss.