WTS borrowed Beard Stance from Disneyland?

Prisca

We all know the tough stance the WTS has about beards, but I found this bit of information about Disneyland's standards regarding male employees (and guests!) rather interesting........

(emphasis in the paragraph (yellow high-lighting) mine)

http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/longhair.htm

Claim: Disneyland's dress code used to exclude men with long hair from the park.

Status: True.

Origins: Up until the late 1960s, long-haired male visitors to Disneyland were stopped at the park gates by cast members who politely informed the hirsute guests that they did not meet the standards of Disneyland's ("unwritten") dress code and No E tickets for you, sonny therefore would not be allowed to enter the park.

Disneyland's appearance code for employees, instituted in the 1950s, prohibited male cast members from sporting mustaches, beards, or long hair. Back when the code was implemented, facial hair was perceived as conveying a negative image to many Americans, who associated beards and mustaches on young men with beatniks, un-American activities, and -- in the 1960s -- hippies. Disney's philosophy was that customers preferred park workers to be wholesome and well-scrubbed, and some of the same appearance restrictions they placed on their employees were applied to other park guests as well. (For example, Jim McGuinn, future founder of the Byrds, was turned away from Disneyland in 1964 merely for sporting a Beatle cut, and at one point women wearing halter tops were also prohibited from entering the park.)

Disneyland's "no long hair" policy for male guests was not instituted as a reaction to the "yippie invasion" that forced the park to close early one day in 1970. In fact, the opposite was true: the only reason the long-haired "yippies" were allowed in the park that day in the first place was because the restriction had already been relaxed.

Faced with manpower shortages at their American theme parks, in early 2000 Disney modified their policy to allow male cast members to sport neatly-trimmed moustaches.

Last updated: 22 April 2000

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Urban Legends Reference Pages 1995-2001
by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson
This material may not be reproduced without permission

Sources Sources:

Bledsoe, Wayne. "McGuinn's Influence Lingers On.": St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 3 July 1992 (Everyday Magazine; p. G4).
Ellison, Harlan. "The Sixties: A Reappraisal.": Playboy. January 1988 (p. 89).
Powers, Charles T. and Bill Hazlett. "Disneyland Closed 6 Hours Early by Longhair Invasion.": Los Angeles Times. 7 August 1970 (p. 1).
Taylor, John. Storming the Magic Kingdom.: New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987. ISBN 0-394-54640-7 (pp. 25-26).
Los Angeles Times. "Mickey Mouse Standards.": 10 March 1988 (p. B6).

Matty

The parallels with the Disney Corp are really interesting, thanks for that Pris. I always thought that the society's stance on beards was imposing American cultural standards on us, rather than biblical standards. I thought the same about the ban on sisters wearing trousers. I am annoyed also that when I have an assignment - mikes, sound, platform, attendant etc... I have to wear my suit jacket, no matter how hot it is in the hall, I can't leave it hanging on the back of my seat, or I get told off!

Bear in mind none of these bans and restrictions have been mentioned in any of the publications! Because the Watchtower is international the dress standards that they mention are usually very vague and open to interpretation.

refiners fire

Maybe Walt disney was some kind of Moral Zealot, as he percieved it.

I hear hes froven in a test tube waiting till medical science can bring him back to life. Thats a reasonable shot at "resurrection", I would think. Better chance than being a dub relying on God

Prisca

RF,

The same site that I got this info from, says that the rumours of Disney having his body frozen are false. He's buried in some lawn cemetery in LA.

Getting back to the beards subject, I thought it was interesting that the WTS holds to the same views, views which were based on perceptions from 40+ years ago. Times and styles have changed radically since, yet the WTS sticks rigidly to outdated standards.

4skins

Hi Prisca,

The next question might be, Where did Disney procure its beard policy? It's interesting that you've highlighted the nineteen-sixties era:--males of that era that were considered 'radicals' tended toward long hair AND beards and sloppy dress. There were professional men of that era with conservative dress and well-groomed beards and short cranium hair that were exempted from the discrimination meted out to the hippy type. Modern feminism also experienced a resurgence in the. 60's with Betty Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique (63-?).

The first two WTS presidents sported beards; Russell's was obvious and one old photograph I've sighted shows Rutherford with a beard. It's also possible that the WTS later 'borrowed' military grooming standards. I personally suspect it was the militant feminists that spearheaded anti-masculinity rituals such as the elimination of facial hair. Both Friedan and Steinem were Marxists pushing a communist agenda. The socialist plank of feminism is not necessarily anti-male per se as it is anti-masculine, anti-femininity, anti-male domination and female-superiority. Feminists then, as they do today, managed to influence legislatures, corporations and the general culture. In recent years they also managed to get Disneyland to eliminate their theme venue, Pirates of the Carribbean, in which 'women' were depicted as wenches having licentious fun.

The shaved male face is often symbolic of gynophobia or a willingness by the male to subordinate himself to the females in his life. I am surprised how many women understand this dynamic. Feminists created the gender wars to emasculate masculine things, males included. Facial hair represented masculinity and it was one of those things slated for destruction( One shouldn't assume that the modern resurgence of beards means a resurgence of masculinity). The male act of shaving facial hair is a symbolic gesture that he is uncomfortable with his masculinity, is prepared to look like a woman without facial hair and is willing to subordinate himself to females.

How does this information apply to the WTS? The watchtower culture projects the illusion of a male-dominated patriarchy yet considers itself a "mother" organization. While male headship is touted, the reality is that the clean-shaven jaydub male is mostly a titular head in his family, and to a large extent women have a considerable impact in congregational decisions. With some exceptions, women fairly dictate to their men. I know this is a strange observation, but jaydubdom is a female-dominated culture, except within its Sanhedrin. It seemed to me that most jaydub females are feminists(not in the radical, secular sense) and understood that most jaydubs guys would 'roll-over' to their headship. Does this make any sense to you?

Anyhow, my research is compatible with the observations of other former members that the WTS has socialist or communist or fascist features or leanings. One objective of socialism is family disintergration and gender dysfunction. Again, I know this is an odd observation, but the WTS has embraced feminism as its offical gender policy because it not only comports with destructive communist objectives, but causes other gender disturbances such as homosexual orientation and paedophillic propensity. I'm sure many will disagree with my observations.

References;

Iron John. Robert Bly 1990

The Masculine Deficit; The cause of homosexual orienation, androgyny and social collapse. Rhys Alexander 1996(?)

Dr.Henry Marlow

larc

Historical note: until about 5 years ago, it was forbidden for any member of the Cincinnati baseball team to have any facial hair. Even today, most of the players are clean shaven. A story about my beard: The last time I shaved was March 30, seven years ago. I remember the date, because it was my wedding anniversary. Shortly thereafter, I went on a two week trip and returned with a beard. When I pulled into the drive way, my wife happened to be on the front porch. When she saw me, she grinned and said, "you will have to come back later, I am expecting my husband to be here any time now."

plmkrzy

facial hair was perceived as conveying a negative image to many Americans, who associated beards and mustaches on young men with beatniks, un-American activities, and -- in the 1960s -- hippies.

I remember years ago listening to various talks that included references to this and the ideas were very simular

to the above statement.

So basiclly this means the WTS based its perception of facial hair on being American more then it did on being Christian

Prisca

Plum,

Yes, the same American standards were/are being applied in AUSTRALIA !!

Yet, in the business world, cropped beards are considered distinguished on men, perfectly acceptable. So since JWs are encouraged to dress in business attire, why don't they allow JWs to wear beards just like many in business do too??

ozziepost

Pris,

How glad we are now to be free to have friends who sport beards!

Cheers, Ozzie

plmkrzy

I totally agree.

There is a scripture in one of moses books that says something about facial hair and how it is to be groomed to specifications.

No trimming of the sideburns, or no rounding off the side burns?

Trying to remember exactly where it is.

WTS borrowed Beard Stance from Disneyland?

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