Bearded Legislator Analysis

Perhaps I am going to have to give up the beard. Adam Graham has crunched the numbers on this, and reports:

No State for Bearded Men

Looking at the State Senate, I see that of 29 male members, 3 have beards. In the House, there are 51 men, and 2 have beards. So, of a total of 80 male legislators, only five have beards, equaling 6.25% of the Male Legislators. I’d say that greater that a good 10-12% of men around these parts have beards (though I have no studies to back this up due to the failure of the mainstream media to report on the facial hair of Idaho men, so this is about what it seems like to me based on the people I’ve seen around town.) So, I think we can say that the beard is a detriment.

Mustaches seem to fair better. On the bright side, at least I know why I lost in 2004.

I know that for a lot of people who grew up in the 1930s, a beard was a sign that you were some sort of Communist or other dangerous freethinker. But I doubt that this could still be the reason.

I don't believe that there's anything about LDS theology that prohibits beards, but I've been told that the reason that few Mormon men have beards is that Brigham Young University requires its students to be clean shaven. (Well, the men at least.) And indeed, this document indicates that it is a requirement for missionaries. My guess is that Mormon men stay clean shaven thereafter out of habit. Because Mormons are a significant fraction of the voters in Idaho, being clean shaven may be something of an advantage at election time, not because clean shaven is a secret identifying code, but perhaps at a subconscious level there is an identification of clean shaven men with positive images. How Bill Sali (R-ID) got himself elected with that beard of his really makes me wonder!