What's with all the beards?

[d.anders]

On 1/8/2026 at 8:15 AM, Mark_fl said:

Its certainly not my place to ask someone to shave, but is it tactful to ask

I don't see why the request should lack tact. If clean shaven is your thing, then it's important to mention that to someone who shows both options in their photos. However, it would be foolish to assume that gay men don't take their every day appearance seriously, or take it lightly.

Most of the sexually active gay men I know are very serious about their sexual prowess, and that includes the message they deliberately send with their chosen physical appearance. Trend or not, if a gay guy is sporting facial hair, there's typically a reason. You need to find out how flexible someone is with this issue.

I imagine some guys would view the request as a financial incentive. If you offered me $100+ to shave my beard for our appointment, I would probably say yes. But that's me.