By far the most guys I know with beards are political liberals.
I sometimes wear a short trimmed beard. A guy would have to be extremely clumsy or have a physical impairment to get food in a beard like that, unless they stuck their face in a bowl and lapped at the food. I can see how a long beard could be a problem. And I'm not into the Duck Dynasty look. Yeah, those hillbilly beards would be a problem.
It's cold weather when I do grow one, and I always get lots of good compliments from women. My wife loves it and every fall starts asking me when I'm going to grow it.
In truth it takes about the same amount of time to maintain grooming a short trimmed beard as it does to shave. And if I keep it until hot weather, I have not noticed it actually feeling any hotter than when I am clean shaven.
In maintaining a short beard, I still have to shave my neck everyday, and trim along the edges with an electric razor, as well as use a beard trimmer to maintain the trim, three or four times a week.
I do not ever get an ingrown hair breakout (one of the drawbacks of shaving) when wearing the beard. Plus, when I do go clean shaven, I have to shave twice a day. I have a thick beard growth, so to get a close shave I have to electric razor shave, then blade razor shave in the shower. If going out in the evening, I have to shave again, at least electric shave, but it will be scratchy to the touch.
So, what's with all the guy's jealous cause they can't grow a good thick beard, running down guys with beards. Why not grow some balls and insult the guys to their faces rather than behind a keyboard?
Now long chin only beards and soul patches? Well, for me they just don't look professional, and if a guy comes in for a job interview like that, I am not going to hire them. looking professional is part of the job. A short, well maintained beard is certainly okay for that. Just like I am not going to hire anyone with face tattoos or visible neck tattoos.