10. Pogonophobia

Hipsters probably rub plenty of people the wrong way. But, they would legitimately terrify the people who face this phobia. They suffer from pogonophobia, the unwarranted fear of beards. It can stem back to a disturbing experience with a bearded person. It can also be linked to media’s historic depiction of bearded men as evil. How many movie super villains with beards can you think of?

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Moreover, beards have also historically been associated with poor hygiene. How often do you see a clean-shaven homeless man on TV? And how often do bearded men run for office? The US hasn’t had a bearded president since the 1800s. These negative stereotypes can fuel the paranoia of a pognophobic.

However, society is taking another look at the beard as it’s becoming more acceptable, even in the work place. This trend spells disaster for the pogonophobic who can see his career opportunities and potential relationships dwindle if he can’t interact with bearded men.

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