Why do men wear beards? Why men grow beards: there is a real reason

• visual effect
• Age and wisdom
• Masculinity and brutality
• Challenge and tradition

Our appearance - natural features and added details - is a code similar to that which web programmers work with. Symbols, connecting in a combination, broadcast a picture outside. It is read by our audience - the people on whom our work and personal results depend. Understanding the intricacies of this code, we systematically increase personal efficiency: hitting the audience becomes more accurate, communications improve and the value of a personal brand grows.

A few years ago in Russia bearded man was more of a museum rarity. And suddenly, fashionable youth stopped shaving, then the “bearded trend” migrated to older people, capturing creative and free professions, and, finally, took a strong position in the business environment. The rise in popularity of beards in a sustainable fashion trends the business community is of interest. What are the underlying motives that drive conservative men to follow the trend? Today we are talking about why men wear a beard and the impression that a beard makes.

visual effect

Let's start with the fact that facial hair for a man is simple and effective way significantly change the appearance. This is an excellent disguise and a massive double chin, and too small. The beard visually lengthens the face, making it sharper and thinner, which allows you to look stricter and more courageous.

Not only the presence, but also the style of the beard affects the changes in the image. A thick "natural" beard may belong to a lumberjack or a shift worker, a hermit or a traveler: it gives the impression that a person does not have a razor at hand or does not want to use it. Neat medium beards are associated with scientists, doctors and cultural figures. Again, if the intellectual demonstrates adherence to his principles and distance from secular life(for example, Anatoly Wasserman), and the traveler is more in the TV studio than in the jungle (Nikolai Drozdov), then they "swap beards."

Small beards, mustaches and simply decorative unshavenness reminds of gangsters, fatal seducers and other infernal types (from modern characters - the villain Zorg from The Fifth Element or the heroes of Fight Club).

The natural color of the beard also matters: dark hair change the face much more than those close in tone to the skin. A beard for brunettes and brown-haired people can create a gloomy, heavy, even “robber” impression (look at the actors Al Pacino and Gerard Butler), on the other hand, it also gives great effect due to contrast.

Age and wisdom

For a number of biological and social causes women, as a rule, tend to avoid details of the image, which can make them look older. But in the male standard of appearance, on the contrary, a certain obscenity is valued (from mature - adult, mature). In different cultures, a young man who had the first growth on his face was accepted into the ranks of adults. Visually, a beard usually adds age to the owner, and therefore automatically - experience and solidity.

Masculinity and brutality

Another of the motives for growing a beard for men is gender. IN modern world gender boundaries in terms of rights, duties and self-determination are increasingly blurred. A woman can appropriate any object men's wardrobe, cut your hair short, drive a car and rule the country. But the prerogative and the ability to grow facial hair still belongs to only one sex. The bearded man in any case saves male image- even in a pink sweater, with a long haircut and polka-dot socks. Therefore, men cling tightly to the remaining exclusively masculine signs.

In 2014, the performance of the "woman with a beard" Conchita Wurst at Eurovision was perceived by the Russians as an attempt on the primordially male sign and sparked outrage. After that, a comic call appeared on the Internet: “don’t be like a woman, shave off your beard,” however, some stars did so defiantly.

Scientists from Australia have found that bearded men tend to hold malevolent sexist views of women. The authors published the results of their research in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, and a brief summary of them can be found on the website of The Independent (2015)

From the same repertoire - the desire to look more brutal. Facial hair removes the image from civilization and gives wildness to its wearer. It would seem, where is the wildness here, when we are talking about the business community? But it is precisely career and business - negotiations, competition, sales plans - civilized forms of ancient war or hunting. And the beard, like a headdress made of feathers or a necklace of skulls, reminds the opponent that behind cufflinks and a tie, primitive power and pressure are hidden.

Challenge and tradition

Facial hair is able to distinguish its wearer from the ranks of a clean-shaven society, as if declaring: "Now I intend to play by my own rules." It is not surprising that all kinds of rebels often became bearded - from the founders of revolutionary movements (Lenin, Che Guevara) to representatives of subcultures (bikers). Interesting fact: the beard in history is equally an element of the image of both fighters against social norms and their ardent defenders: look at the extreme right representatives of parties or adherents of religions.

After the September 11, 2011 terrorist attack and a series of explosions in Russia, a man with a beard was associated with terrorists (since most often they are religious fanatics). According to a survey conducted by the Levada Center, 79% of Russian citizens opposed the wearing of beards.

It is difficult to judge which of these two extremes this time provoked the fashion for a beard in the world. If we talk about Russia, it is more likely that domestic beards have spread among “serious” people as a subconscious call to return to the roots. At one time, Peter I, heading for Europe, made every effort to nullify beards in Rus'. In the current political situation, it is becoming fashionable to bet on finding one's own way, without the intervention of the West. And here you are, the triumphant return of the beard.

Let's try to summarize all of the above, and the growth in the rating of the beard as an accessory will be obvious. Why do men need beards?

1. Firstly, a beard adds masculinity - both as an exclusively male attribute, and due to the fact that the face with it acquires a stereotypically masculine outline.
2. Secondly, facial hair adds not only ferocity, but also symbolizes wisdom and knowledge, combining in one image two desirable and often opposed qualities of a man - intelligence and strength.
3. Thirdly, the beard "ages", which for men, especially young men, is a way to visually add status and seriousness along with age.
4. Fourthly, facial hair can become a demonstration of a political, religious and other position in life, for example, a craving for freedom or, conversely, adherence to traditions.
5. And finally, there is the purely utilitarian advantage: some men are happy to use the trend as an opportunity to not shave every day.

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An improperly chosen style will make you an untidy dork, even like a homeless person. People will bypass you, and the girls will not even look in your direction.

So don't be in a hurry to make your hair look like your favorite celebrity. Before choosing a beard cut for yourself - determine the type of face.

1. Oval. men with oval type faces - rejoice. Guys with other types will envy you. Experiments? No problem. This type will suit any style and look!
2. Cordate. Pay attention to the triangular type - this is for you.
3. Brilliant or diamond shaped. Dense vegetation will not suit you. Look at Wolverine - you will need it!
4. Oblong. In the form of a horseshoe or classic sideburns - what you need! In no case do not shave the types of beards in men (photo below), which lengthen the face.
5. Round. Chubby dream to visually lengthen the face. In this case, we advise them to grow a medium mustache and lower the "goat" or trapezoid (from temple to temple) beard.
6. Square. For those of whom they say: “muzzle with a brick”, rounded ends will do.
7. Triangular. Owners of this type dream of expanding the lower, narrowest part of the face. A square, rounded or horseshoe-shaped beard will help them fulfill their dreams.
8. Pear or bulb. Grow long sideburns - girls will appreciate it!

Men, remember that the style and look that suits every type has not yet been created! Everything is individual.

Read, memorize, choose.

So, to have stylish male beards go to tips:

• determine the type of face(the types are described above). This main factor, influencing the choice of the shape of the future beard;
• beard color for men hair thickness, growing on the face. This is also important. Blondes, fair-haired and red-haired boys - allow yourself. Dark-haired (brunets, brown-haired and others) - choose something smaller. If the hairs are thin, then you have to forget about dense thickets;
• height. Tall guys- afford wide beard cuts and styles. Short men - a neat little beard will suit you. Average height- choose the golden mean - you're in luck!

Have you chosen a style for yourself? Congratulations! Scroll on, it's interesting! You will learn the technology of cutting beards and mustaches by visiting the master. Watch the video.

Photos of beard styles

Beard haircut - photos are presented to your attention.

Beard + baldness = good combination

The weak part of humanity (women) is madly afraid of gaining weight. And what is the strong sex afraid of?
According to the results of Internet voting and polls: men are afraid of going bald.

Saying goodbye to every falling hair, men almost cry. The fear that they will turn away from him, bald, is incredibly great. Let's see if the fear is justified. No.

The style is very popular nowadays. A bald head in combination with a properly selected beard is one plus:

• spending time on a morning shower is three times less;
• shampoo saving. You need less (only for a beard) - the cost is less;
• evenly spreading tan
• "dangerous" look - create an image of a tough nut, the girls will appreciate it;
• don't shake in fear from the thought of baldness - there is no hair anyway.

Suitable for bald men the following types male beards OK.

1. Duck tail.
2. Screen and Wolverine style.
3. Duck tail.
4. Goatee.

The main thing is to choose them according to the type of face. So, a bald head and a beard are a good combination, fears were driven away ... let's move on. Do girls think bald men are handsome, look at the video.

No mustache

With each passing day, similar beard styles without mustaches are also gaining popularity.

Associate this popularity with the fact that it will take less care because there is no mustache.

And not every girl will like tickling with mustaches during a kiss. This species has many advantages and they are clear from the name.

Examples of haircuts for beards without a mustache:

• Goatee
• old dutch. Very dense vegetation from temple to temple. The length can be infinite. Shave your cheeks.
• Island. Small dotted vegetation under the lower lip.
• insect style. The ends resemble the antennae or chewed insect.
• Mini goatee.
• Lincoln without a mustache. Oval oblong or triangular type - this beard is for you!
• Klingon. The mustache is shaved off above the lip, leaving parts on the sides, connecting on the sides.
  So, guys, you don't like mustaches? Shave boldly. There are many types, take your pick.

With a mustache

Fact - a beard looks spectacular and more masculine in combination with a mustache. Previously, everyone wore a mustache, but now a man himself has the right to choose whether to grow a mustache or not?

Mustache fashion is back, so grow it boldly if you like. The style of the beard and mustache makes every wearer an elegant and independent man.

Mustache Beard Design Examples:

• Suvorovskaya. In the case of this beard, leave the chin clean. And the sideburns fall just below the lips and rise, growing together with the mustache.
• Anchor. Named for appearance. How to shave such a beard, you will see in the video.

• . In honor of the military man from Italy, who first shaved this form of beard in men with a mustache.
• Short boxed bear. neat lines, thin mustache, sideburns and beard - for this style gained popularity among Hollywood actors.
• Full or. Thick and voluminous, with a mustache and sideburns. Very suitable tall men. With this style, the sea of ​​brutality is guaranteed. How to make such a beard, look at the video.

• Duck tail. In the 60s, a similar haircut was in fashion, resembling a duck tail. Reminds me of a duck's tail and the tip of a beard.
• French fork. It resembles a special fork with two cloves.
• Lamb chop with mustache. Sounds intimidating? It looks the same if you pick up a haircut and pump up. Look like a biker - be dangerous!
• Garibaldi.
• Sail. Will require careful and haircuts.
• Rap style. Beard, mustache and sideburns should be very short and very thin. Rapper style - cool style!
• Curtain, Screen or Wolverine style. How this beard looks like, watch the video.

These are not all options for cutting male beards with a mustache. Only the most popular are shown. simple haircuts beard and mustache. There are a few more stylish beards- This , .

Popular styles

Men's beard - the types are different, as the tastes of people and the people themselves differ. However, there is a list of trendy haircuts male beards, popular styles, varieties. What is the name of the style with a beard, let's talk about it later.

Screen or Lincoln's beard. Why Lincoln? Because Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States of America, admired his beard.

Such a beard without a mustache is provided, although if you prefer to hide (for example, if the skin is problematic) the gap between the nose and upper lip- a mustache will not hurt such a beard.

Choose a medium or thin mustache. true style beard cutting involves a square-shaped connection of the beard and wide sideburns. It will emphasize the lips and hide the imperfections of the contours of the face. This is clearly seen in the proposed video.

Suvorovskaya. The complete opposite of the previous model of beard cutting - screens. Growing a beard a la Suvorov, you do not have to grow vegetation on the chin. Grow wide sideburns that fall just below the corners of the lips and then rise up, connecting with the mustache. This look is suitable if you have a beautiful and even chin. If there are flaws on the chin, you better avoid these types of beards in men.

Goatee. Previously goatee they grew exclusively evil and unpleasant types, since the goat (and the beard too) personified something demonic.

But now it is preferred to grow by guys who decide to become "bad", acquire the image of "danger" and please the weaker sex.

There are two variations of the beard: with a mustache and without a mustache. Both are suitable for men with oval and round type faces.

Anchor. Suitable for this romantic style chubby men and guys with square type. It looks like an anchor. Is not it so? You're not cutting right! Hurry up to fix it.

Ducktail or Ducktail. model haircut beards. The similarity with the hairstyle of the sixties is one hundred percent, and even more so with a duck tail. Such a beard will not require frequent care and it does not need to be trimmed every week along an even contour. Let it grow even to the knees!

Garibaldi. Dense vegetation paired with both sideburns and broad mustaches. Looks untidy, but quite attractive. It is not necessary to grow to the knees - its length is a maximum of 20 centimeters. The name comes from the first bearer - Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Sail. Calls to bare the chin and "rush in full sail." Flared sideburns are combined with a mustache - this is how this style is obtained.

Box Beautiful male beard.

Exactly trimmed (the length of the hairs is the same! This is important) beard connected to sideburns and mustaches (can be without sideburns).

Suitable for men triangular type faces. celebrity beautiful haircuts beards wearing a beard box: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Robert Pattinson and others.

Jack Sparrow's beard. Looks funny, but not masculine. Choose specifically for yourself. Will require careful daily care and a lot of time. reach desired length, as you please.

Vandyke. In other words, like Johnny Depp. Fans - grow and shape, girls will appreciate it too. Professional barbers will tell you how to do it. Keep the lines even, otherwise it will look run down. If you chose this type, watch the video.

The conclusion of the article is obvious. Beard and mustache and their styles - cool, courageous, strong. The main thing to remember is that not every style will suit you.

You have become familiar with beautiful beards for men, now follow the advice of the article to. Do not forget to monitor the condition of facial hair- careful care with the use of (, etc.) so as not to look like a dork.

Currently, the beard has gained incredible popularity. Men with facial hair are much more attractive to women than their clean-shaven counterparts. Have you ever thought about the fact that a brutal bearded man, without realizing it, betrays the secrets of his character? It turns out that a man's beard, mustache and sideburns can tell a lot about his personality. How to crack a brutal handsome man at first sight, he will tell you PEOPLETALK!

Bristle

A real man! This guy knows what he wants from life, and boldly goes to his goal. He will be romantic and sweet for you, but on the other hand, tough and harsh. This is a man of his word: he said - he did! But if you turn female cunning, then you can tame this tiger.

chestnut beard

If you meet a man with a chestnut beard, run into his arms. He will become a real support for you, and his back will be a stone wall. This is the same man of dreams, brave and strong, who always keeps everything under control.

black beard

A man with a black beard is a rival of the previous species. This guy has everything in moderation. He is gallant and temperamental with a calm disposition. This man does not like to flaunt his life. You should not expect an open soul from him. But by the look and actions you will understand his attitude towards yourself.

Red beard

A red beard is often found in extraordinary personalities. He is a friendly and polite man. But, on the other hand, he is very temperamental person explosive in nature. With such a guy, you will always feel protected, but the main thing is not to piss him off. These men are very amorous, and women are crazy about them. But they have one drawback: they often like to show off and try in every possible way to stand out from the crowd. It can be called a brutal upstart.

sparse beard

The owner of a rare beard has a rather soft character. He does not want to be disturbed, and he does not cross the road for anyone. Such a man is unlikely to become your protector. If a threat arises, he may well leave you and run away to safe place. If you can stand up for yourself, then agree to such a relationship, and if not, then look for a guy with a chestnut beard.

bushy beard

A man with a thick beard will lure you in with his intellect. The rule of neck and head does not work for him, he manages his own life. This man will pretend to listen to you, but he will make the decision himself. Among men with a thick beard, there are often people of creative professions, scientists and teachers. If you are ready to endure his oddities, then jump into the pool with your head and become his support.

curly beard

If a boring and measured life is not for you, then choose a guy with a curly and disheveled beard. You will never get bored with him. Most likely, he will offer you to go to the islands and live for your own pleasure, working as a surf instructor. This is the soul of the company, which will be loved by everyone except your parents.

Whiskers

Currently, sideburns are extremely rare. But if you happen to meet such a person, then be prepared for romantic relationship and love to the grave. He will admire you and immediately offer you to move to live in his communal apartment. And there is no need to fantasize about a man who looks like Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. In his years, sideburns were in trend, but now they are worn by romantic retrogrades.

Mustache

Guy with thin mustache wants to assert itself in life and demonstrates its importance. Such mustaches are often worn by military personnel, security guards and police officers.

Medium and neat mustaches are found in men who love beautiful life and are ready to go over their heads, just to achieve their goal.

Free-growing and long mustaches are interesting and funny men. He will always tell you funny joke and lift your spirits. They are friendly people with good taste.

Guys with twisted mustaches are extraordinary and eccentric personalities. Often such mustaches are worn by hipsters who are trying to appear older.

My dears, in Rus' it was as wild to see a peasant without a beard as it was to see a woman with a beard.
They tried not to conclude contracts with beardless men, since it was believed that they not only had a “woman-faced” appearance, but also had a way of thinking similar to that of a woman. Shaving was regarded almost as a voluntary castration. It was very difficult for a man without a beard to start a family, he was considered incapable of procreation.
The era of a total ban on the beard
On August 29 (August 19, according to the old style), 1698, the famous decree “On wearing a German dress, on shaving beards and mustaches, on walking schismatics in the attire indicated for them” was issued, which banned the wearing of beards from the new year - from September 1. The decree was supported by a dinner at the boyar Shein on the occasion of the New Year. At a dinner party, it was no longer the king himself who cut the beards, but the royal jester. The decree aroused great resistance, the description of which found its way into many annals of that time. The shaved ones were called "bare snout". And this "bare snout" came into conflict with cultural traditions and religious norms.
The idea of ​​the tax came to Petr Alekseevich during his first trip to Europe. At that time, in some states of Europe, such a decree brought income to the treasury. In 1699, to confirm the payment of the fee, a copper token was introduced - a beard sign - with an image on front side beard and the inscription above it: "DENGI TAKE". 2015 marks the 317th anniversary of the beard tax.
There were several tariffs: on average, from 60 to 100 rubles "from the beard", and from Moscow residents - 30 rubles per person per year. By the way, 30 rubles at that time was the annual salary of a foot soldier, so a beard became an expensive pleasure. The peasants did not pay the duty, but each time they gave 1 kopeck “from the beard” for entering and leaving the city. And only this contributed to the fact that the image of a Russian peasant with a beard remained unchanged throughout pagan and Christian Russia. Then, from 1715, a single duty was introduced for all classes - a tax on Orthodox bearded men and schismatics in the amount of 50 rubles a year. Moreover, with a beard, an obligatory old-fashioned uniform was supposed to make it even more ashamed to feel. Anyone who saw a bearded man not in the indicated clothes could inform the authorities and receive half the fine and clothes in addition. If the bearded man was not able to pay the fine, he was sent to hard labor to work off the required amount.

Outcome: The mockery of Peter I in relation to the Russian beard, as well as the Russian dress, was due only to the tsar's dislike for everything primordially Russian and love for the unspiritual foreignness. Otherwise, he would not have introduced an unbearable tax, if he wanted to replenish the treasury. And I would not have implemented the decree by force. For example, at the Sunday service, the soldiers surrounded the churches, grabbed all the peasants indiscriminately, two held them, the third cut off the beard and the sleeves of the caftans.
IN Ancient Egypt in general, it was forbidden to wear a beard to everyone except the pharaoh - it symbolized sole power and possession of lands. The pharaoh, as it were, appeared in the image of a male father, and all his people became a “woman” - a reproducer of blessings. The beard is an honor. From the description of a traveler to Rus' in 1634, Adam Alearius (translation): “Russian men greatly revere long beards, and those who have them are highly respected by them.” In all legends and epics, all those to whom respect is shown, wise men and heroes, have a beard. And old man Hottabych fulfilled wishes with one hair from his beard. And Santa Claus without a beard is not him.

In 1757 M.V. Lomonosov even wrote an ode to the forbidden attribute - "Hymn to the Beard", which caused the indignation of the royal family.
Punishment through the beard.
In Rus', the beard was so valued that the most serious crime was the desecration of the beard. Thus, according to the “Pskov Judicial Letter” (XIV - XV centuries), a giant fine of 2 rubles had to be paid for damaging or forcibly depriving a beard, while for murder the fine was only a ruble. The most terrible insult was considered a spit in the beard, and setting fire to the enemy's beard meant declaring war on him.
Desecrations of beards are often found in the annals. When envoys came to the prince with unseemly demands, they silently cut off their beards and sent them back. And that said more than a thousand words.
If in Ancient Greece someone met a completely shaved person, this meant that he was punished for some serious offense. In Greece, warriors who got cold feet on the battlefield had half their faces shaved.
By the way, the participants of KVN Soviet period it was forbidden to wear beards, as this could be a mockery of the ideologists of communism, Marx or Lenin.
"Bearded" wilds of history
So, the sacred secret of the beard for the Slavs, and why in no case could we be deprived of it: 1. The meaning of the word: BEARD - Wealth of the KIND! The thicker and longer the beard, the stronger and stronger the clan, the more offspring it has and the stronger the ties between generations.

2. Beard gives courage. Until the soldiers began to grow a beard, they were not allowed into the forward detachments, on the battlefield. Maybe, of course, this is just self-hypnosis, that if you are assured from childhood that a beard will make you fearless, invincible and will protect you from an arrow smashing at noon, then it will be so! We are what we believe in! Yes, even just look at a gloomy man with a beard, he looks a hundred times more dangerous than a freshly shaved one.
3. Spiritual growth without a beard is not possible. The man is the bearer of the spirit of the race. (Thus prolonging his kind, the husband gives the children the spirit, and the mother the body). A husband who wears a beard has spiritual power. And just as a woman hears God through the hair on her head, so a man receives the feeling of God through the hair on his beard. The beard gives the strongest intuition, which helps to resolve the most difficult situations. For your information, the Holy Fathers believe that beard shaver thereby expresses dissatisfaction with his body, which the Lord endowed him with. And the decree of Peter I on the ban on wearing beards of church servants did not touch. Although before this decree, the church itself considered shaving beards a sin and did not bless the beardless.
The hair of the beard of the Prophet Muhammad is among the ten most revered religious relics in the world, as is the crown of thorns of Jesus and the relics of Buddha. In the Old Believers, barbering is called law-criminal and is revered as heresy. Barbering was forbidden in the Old Testament. Barbering was forbidden by the rules of the sixth Ecumenical Council. It was forbidden to shave beards by the patristic writings of St. Epiphany of Cyprus, St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bl. Theodoret, St. Isidore Pilusiot. Condemnation of barbering is also contained in the books of Nikon Chernye Gory. “On the benefits of a beard among priests” by Valerian (1531), a treatise is known specifically on this topic - “Apology of the Beard” by Burchard Bellevossky, written in the 1160s and found in 1929. 4. The beard is an accessory to GOD'S KIND. God created a man in his own image and likeness, which means that a beard is an integral part of his image. In Vlesknig it is written: “Our Gods are our Fathers, and we are their children, and we will be worthy of the Glory of our Gods, and we will do many good deeds, but for the glory of our Clans, three times more than the hair in our brotherhood.” In general, love of marriage is one of the main virtues of a Russian person: a beard must be groomed and cherished, carefully grown and treated with respect.

5. Wisdom lives in a beard. The ancient Greeks also spoke about the great power of the beard - every adult man, without exception, wore a beard as a sign of gaining wisdom. The beard was let go with pleasure, and it was cut short (but not shaved off!) Only as a sign of mourning.
6. A beard is a spiritual connection with the Ancestors and free thinking. IN ancient world, and not only among the Slavs, if it was necessary to conquer, subjugate someone, then they cut off his beard. A person deprived of such a powerful source of energy loses his spiritual connection with the Ancestors and free-thinking, his consciousness becomes clouded, and he can be controlled in any way. (So ​​that's why any job on the system requires a clean-shaven face, so it's easier to manage)
7. The beard is a symbol of power, a symbol of the owner. A man in the world of his house is the personification of God, and only he must initially be the first to conceive everything. A man without a beard was considered effeminate and incapable of creating a family, procreation.
Good health to all dear ones.

Shaving the beard has long been condemned by the Christian Church. The distortion of the image given by God, for the sake of external beauty and imaginary youth, was considered a very sinful matter. Barbering in the Old Believers was strictly condemned and is condemned today.

However, the fight against this phenomenon in different eras had varying degrees of success. In the Konstantinov era, barbering was tolerated. On ancient Byzantine frescoes and icons, you can see a lot of beardless characters. After the era of iconoclasm and the triumph of Orthodox monasticism, the absence of a beard gradually becomes a symbol of sinfulness and unnatural adultery. The presence of a beard was treated very strictly in ancient Rus'. Shaved people were ridiculed, and pulling out a beard became one of the cruel and shameful punishments.

During the time of the Nikon-Petrine church and cultural reforms, the state changed its policy. The authorities began to fight the beard as a symbol old Rus' which had to be eradicated at all costs. A tax on wearing a beard was introduced, beardless priests and bishops appeared among the New Believer clergy.

The struggle with the beard weakened somewhat in the second half of the nineteenth century, when some Russian emperors began to wear a beard. However, here it was no longer state repressive measures, but the trend of secular fashion forced people to shave their beards.

IN Soviet time marriage was not legally condemned, but wearing a beard could lead to ridicule, accusations of backwardness, and religious prejudices. There were cases when some priests shaved off their beards to avoid persecution by atheists or arrests by law enforcement agencies.

However, times, as they say, are changing. As fashion changes, attitudes towards beards also change. So, for example, in the 16th-17th centuries, a shaved face was called a fornicating image, because it often testified to the homosexual inclinations of such a person. Today, wearing or not wearing a beard does not mean anything about sexual orientation. In an era of tolerance, permissiveness and licentiousness, the presence of a beard not only does not indicate the inclinations of the wearer, but, as it turns out, does not always correctly indicate the gender of the individual.

Nevertheless, secular culture, which until recently sharply opposed the wearing of a beard, today not only put up with the beard, but also actively agrees with its existence and high socio-physiognomic status. What ordinary, non-church people think about wearing a beard is described in the publication of a longtime partner of the Russian Faith website, the Tver newspaper Caravan + Ya.