Razor's Edge: The Politics of Facial Hair

Objective This article argues that whether male candidates have facial hair has political implications. We argue that facial hair makes men appear overly masculine, having strong support for use of violence and little support for feminist views, which makes them less attractive candidates for women and feminists. Further, we argue that these perceptions are likely accurate. Methods Using a survey of college‐age subjects, the research generally supports this theory. Results Men with facial hair are seen as more masculine, as well as more conservative on feminist issues, and women and feminists are less likely to vote for them. Further, we find perceptions of masculinity mediate the effects of facial hair on voters’ perceptions of them and willingness to vote for them. However, candidates with facial hair are seen as less supportive of use of force and these perceptions are not accurate based on members’ roll‐call votes. Conclusion This article indicates that male candidates send a signal to voters about their masculinity by their choice of whether to shave.