1A Best Of: What Beards Tell Us About Power, Politics And How We See Each Other
Dec 22, 2025
Join Sarah Gold McBride, a lecturer and author delving into 19th-century hair culture; Christopher Oldstone Moore, an historian exploring masculinity and facial hair; and Igor Bobik, a political reporter analyzing contemporary trends. They dive into the history of beards in American politics, from Lincoln to today's candidates, discussing how whiskers symbolize power, masculinity, and identity. The conversation explores shifting perceptions, the social cues that facial hair sends, and the implications of beard trends on voter trust and image.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Listeners' Personal Beard Stories
- Callers shared personal reasons for beards, from hiding a weak chin to marking adulthood and independence.
- One caller grew a beard after a breakup and kept it for 47 years as a lasting personal identity marker.
Shaving As A Signal Of Order
- Clean-shaven faces historically signaled discipline, orderliness, and conformity in Western culture.
- Beards suggested a departure from collective norms and signaled otherness or independence.
The 1850s Beard Boom
- The U.S. beard boom began in the 1850s with candidates like John C. Frémont and Abraham Lincoln adopting facial hair.
- This shift marked changing norms where beards became acceptable even in the highest halls of power.