Beards: Not Yet Out of Style?

Men and their beards--in the traditional sense: (Clockwise from top left) Ryan Reynolds; Jake Gyllenhaal; the guys from the band, Band of Horses; and Santino Rice.


In Today’s weekly Thursdays Styles section of The New York Times, there are festive, fashionable articles about shiny jewelry trends, a cool new store in SoHo, the arrival in Macy’s of Project Runway challenge winner Angela’s latest creation, and an article about beards. But not the sort of beards—as in facial hair—that the Times has been obsessed with in the last year. We’re talking “beards” as in wives, or female companions of gay men who aren’t quite ready to commit to full-time, 24/7 open gayness.

The article’s a lengthy exploration of why some men who self-identify as gay remain with their female spouses, and the effects that has on all involved. Yes, coming out can be scary; and the alternative of remaining closeted is no picnic, either. Check out this latest treatise on “Brokeback” marriages, which includes a comment from Bonnie Kaye, a former wife of a gay man, who runs a workshop for closeted married men called “How to Come Out to Your Wife.” Kaye says, “If they love their wives, they need to give them their lives back.’’

Of course, for gay men who come out and leave their married lives behind, it’s rough, too. One gay divorcee, identified in the article as Scott, 64, gave the bar scene a try but “has learned he is ill-suited, or too old, for gay night life: ‘They want to go out at 11 o’clock… and I want to go to sleep at 11 o’clock. Plus, in those places, there’s too much noise and confusion.’”



Former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey: No stranger to the "I'm married, but I'm gay" dilemma.


Check out the article (which is pretty good) for more...