The beard has always been a squeamish point with Wolsey’s transition. I don’t know why, maybe because it’s the ultimate masculine outlook, or maybe I just don’t like the idea of kissing a beard. Either way, that has always been the one part I wasn’t sure about with Wolsey’s transition. Not that I wasn’t sure about Wolsey transitioning, rather I wasn’t sure if I would like the beard.
This reminds me of all the times I have seen women say they won’t date a man with a beard, there was a bit of an understanding there when he came out and started growing his hair. I used to think that was pretty shallow reason… evidently I had become a hypocrite.
At first he thought it might be the look thing that bothered me, but I really don’t think it’s the look of a beard that worried me. The look can be pretty cool looking, and I by far would be the last person to judge another on their beard, since I sometimes grow one out, especially if I have ingrown hairs. That being said, I suspect a mountain man beard is not acceptable look wise no matter what, so maybe I am judgmental in that case. If there is a beard, it has to be well maintained.
I am fairly sure the feel of the beard is what made me squeamish. I have done the beard thing occasionally and I find my own beard too rough and annoying. I couldn’t imagine kissing a sandpaper like face (my beard can be like that before it grows out all the way).
I have had girlfriends before Wolsey and I got together that disliked beards, and my father didn’t have anything more than a Fu-Manchu/biker stache on his face so I didn’t grow up around it as being normal facial hair. So, beards have always been a theory, not a reality.
I am sure it doesn’t help that I had a friend who insisted on the mountain man beard as a young man, with results that were as horrific as you can imagine.
Now that we are 3.5 years into the transition and Wolsey can get a solid set of sideburns and a chin beard (the rest is starting to come in), I can say that it doesn’t bother me. Last night I was looking at it in depth, touching it, just examining it, probably to an awkward feeling Wolsey. I found it really doesn’t make a difference at all. It isn’t a turn off, it isn’t something that scares me, it isn’t something I have an issue with. I say go ahead my husband, wear your beard proudly.
I still can’t do a mountain man beard though, that is still a no-go.
very sweet