When I grew my beard, no formal anouncment was made however I started to get shunned by the brothers and sisters, I was not informed of any outside activites going on, I was viewed as spiritually week or unspiritual. I was even stood up several times by elders who I asked to go out in service with me because they did not want to apear to support my beard to the other brothers and sisters.
After a few months of attending meetings with a beard I mentioned to a family that I knew well that I was going to get a Tattoo, the sister freaked out and told me it was wrong from the bible, I asked her to show me where, She showed me Leviticus 19:28 which says you should not get a tattoo. I asked her to read the scripture just before that, Leviticus 19:27 as quoted in this post that you should not trim your beard. I asked her if we were to obey one law would we not have to obey all of them and that the brothers should all start growing beards. She never said another word. There is nothing in the bible to justify this policy.
What I have learned is JWs judge way too much on outward appearance and not on the heart condition of people.
One brother a MS servent was treating his wife very badly, speaking abusive to her, controling every aspect of her life, the brothers did nothing to this brother and in fact told his wife that "being a jerk is not a disfellowshiping offense" But if someone grows a beard... look out... they are from satan. What a joke this religion is.
-S