Here in the UK some congs are ok with them, others aren't. Ours was ok. We have had Elders and MS's with beards from time to time, one actually appointed with a beard. I am talking before the latest article over the past 30 years or so.
But in our circuit about half the congs were ok for appointed men to have beards and half weren't. When I arranged public talks in the days of pre email letters were exchanged and some stated no beards, other stated well trimmed beards were acceptable.
I did hear that as a result of the new article that a nearby die-hard body of elders who wouldn't appoint any man with a beard as MS or Elder had changed their stance as recently as this summer due to the article.
Not allowed on the circuit assembly platform, but about ten years ago we did have the sound operator who would come on and adjust the microphones for everyone being allowed a full beard.