THE MALE FACES OF MORMONISM: TO BEARD OR NOT TO BEARD This paper discusses the (male, sorry ladies!) face of humanity over the years, specifically the Mormon attitudes about facial hair. I’ll review beards in historical perspective then examine the changes in feelings about facial hair since Joseph Smith’s time. While Mormonism has generally followed the trends in Western society, its peculiar theology kept Latter-day Saints a few years behind the rest of society. Moreover, the worldwide public image of Mormons has been molded by the hair that covers or reveals its members’ faces

ALAN EASTMAN, MARY ELLEN ROBERTSON