BYU's Beard Ban

51 Primary Sources

Date
Summary
Mar 5, 1929

Y News reports BYU beard growing contest.

May 16, 1930

Y News reports on BY beard growing contest.

Nov 4, 1930

ST in YN describes types of haircuts in a 1930 issue.

Mar 25, 1932

BT of YN reports on a beard contest held on BYU campus.

Feb 15, 1935

DJ or YN reports on bearded students and beard growing contest.

Oct 1, 1965

BYU student Mark H. Jasinski speaks out in favor of honor code.

Nov 13, 1965

ELW speech denouncing counterculture looks.

Oct 1, 1968

BYU prof with beard, MM, featured in Daily Universe article by JG.

Oct 4, 1968

BYU paper DU reports beards are acceptable.

Nov 12, 1968

Ernest L. Wilkinson says he would like to see clean-shaven students.

Apr 11, 1969

Meeting minutes of BYUDSC deem "neat and well-trimmed" beards "acceptable."

May 4, 1969

Non-LDS paper Chicago Tribune remarks on clean-shaven BYU students.

May 16, 1969

Student AAG describes shaving beard to follow new dress code.

Aug 7, 1969

ELW sends letter to parents enforcing new dress code, cites mission standards.

Sep 18, 1969

Photo and caption of BYU student shaving beard.

Sep 18, 1969

Dean of students JEC affirms new beard policy.

Jan 8, 1970

Dean of students JEC clarifies grooming standard, "avoided setting mathematical measurements."

Mar 9, 1970

BYU Dean J. Elliott Cameron says nobody will be expelled for not following dress standards, only suspended.

Apr 22, 1971

SW writes letter to DU applauding new dress standards.

Sep 1971

New Era announces BYU dress standards.

Dec 1971

Dallin H. Oaks explains BYU grooming standards in the New Era.

Jan 3, 1978

BYU catalog describing dress standards for hair and facial hair.

Sep 22, 1983

Jeffrey R. Holland emphasizes the professional look of BYU students.

Nov 1983 - Dec 1983

RVW argues for cultural and historical importance of beards.

Mar 27, 1985

BYU student Frank Edmunds satirizes BYU beard policy in Daily Universe.

Nov 19, 1986

BYU students object to doctoring photo of KGM.

Apr 30, 1987

Student JES writes encouraging compliance with beard policy.

Sep 10, 1987

DU article mentions past BYU president's beard removed from campus directory.

Sep 21, 1987

BYU student RF defends beard ban, calls BYU a "well-kept garden."

May 1, 1991

E announces BYU's reaffirmation of beards policy.

Feb 1, 1993

Temple president DSK answers questions on temple dress code.

Nov 30, 2001

Sunstone (LDS magazine) documents change in policy for temple workers.

2009

HFC explains the court history behind dress codes and how dress codes are constitutional provided they do not discriminate.

Apr 5, 2013

Armand L. Mauss describes leaders being asked to shave.

Nov 17, 2014

JT of NYT report on student protests over beard policy.

Jan 14, 2015

AM of DH reports on BYU beard exemptions.

Jan 14, 2015

AP of WP report on student protests over beard policy.

Jan 15, 2015

AK of SLT reports on BYU beard rule exemptions for medical, faith, or professional reasons.

Jan 17, 2015

Amy McDonald of Daily Herald reports Muslims receive beard policy exemption.

Aug 18, 2016

LN of the TDU reports on Honor Code changes, 2016 "vastly different" for Honor Code question.

Oct 24, 2018

CJ reports on BYU beard card.

Apr 29, 2019

Delta State University includes a dress and grooming standard.

Feb 19, 2020

Official BYU Dress and Grooming Standards on the BYU Website.

Feb 19, 2020

BYU updated the Honor Code in 2020.

Aug 24, 2020

Carl Turner reports that BYU says COVID-19 does not result in granting an exemption on not growing a beard.

2021

BYU HR department comments on beard policy.

2021

BYU-H beard policy.

2021

BYU-I beard policy.

Mar 2021

Church handbook on employee standards: to uphold Church standards "at all times."

Sep 9, 2021

Hampton University includes a dress code for its students.

Sep 24, 2021

WW petitions to have the beard ban removed from BYU and spokeswoman CJ affirms the beard ban.