Since that last post was a bit dark, I wanted to follow up with Sally’s famed feelings on facial hair–a topic near and dear to some hearts.

Perhaps proclivity toward mustaches and beards is hereditary. I’ve never had a rabid affinity for it (and some women do, trust me. I’ve had friends who are very OMG BEARD YES and Sally is shaking her head at them). Is it a learned preference? Does it have to do with our childhood? Could I prefer a beardless man because of an oppressed encounter with a particularly lascivious mall Santa?

Doubtful. But if you associate “facial hair” with “overall manliness,” what does that say about our preferences for it? A study by Face Lab (reported in WSJ) found:

“In countries where poor health is particularly a threat to survival, women leaned toward “manlier” men. That is, they preferred their males to have shorter, broader faces and stronger eyebrows, cheekbones, facial hair and jaw lines.“

Health and reproduction issues aside, my weird and overly analytical brain is considering the psychological ramifications of this survey. Would a woman who prefers facial hair-free men also prefer to “wear the pants”? (I hate that phrase and immediately regret using it, but if the pants fit.) Does attraction to facial hair correlate with a woman’s desire to be taken care of?

Let’s look at Sally. From the beginning of the series she was obviously an Independent Woman that would make Beyonce proud. She’s grown even more so into her role as a self-proclaimed badass, and has cemented her female independence by casting off her cheating, drunk father–the prominent male in her life. Is her outward mustache dislike a part of this evolution?

Obviously this could be a generality, and it doesn’t take into account the complicated nature of sexual attraction and pheromones (seriously, WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO THEY WORK). While the feminist fight rages on, I’m following Sally’s advice and seeking out the clean-shaven.

From Sally, with love (and without a mustache)