I attended BYU and followed the Dress and Grooming Standards while I attended. I rotate through long and short hair. Mostly I don't like hair cuts, so I cut it short and let it grow long. Different reasons when I was younger - just liked long hair when younger.

None of this is (humble) bragging, just personal examples of how absurd and out of touch, not just with society, but the church in general the dress and grooming standards are. I currently serve in a very conservative care center branch. My hair is currently much too long for BYU. 2 different older (conservative) ladies also serving in the branch (not residents) complimented me on my hair Sunday before/ after services.

My current bishop (in home ward, not the care center) is a BYU professor. He did not teach spring, summer or fall semesters, but had them off for research and writing. He grew his hair out long enough front and back that he would have fit in well at a skate park. The only thing his department chair said to him was to make sure it was cut before he was back to teaching classes. In January before the semester started he cut it and keeps it just short enough that it fits BYU standards, but long enough that it would probably annoy the testing center.

I have been CFO of 2 publicly traded companies and on the Board of Directors. The first and larger company I was an employee with long hair on and off for years before being made CFO and added to the Board of Directors. No one ever complained about when my hair was long. I have been in 4 bishoprics and a branch presidency with long hair. Don't remember if my hair was long to start with the 2nd bishopric or branch presidency when I was called, but it was long for a significant part of the time. The first and last 2 bishops/ stake leaders had known me for a long time with long hair and had no issue with my hair being long when they called my to join them in the bishopric.

I actually had long hair when I showed up to get my ID card before I started my freshman year at BYU and strangely they didn't say anything, so almost my entire time at BYU the picture on my ID card had hair about to my shoulders/ well over my collar. Unfortunately, BYU switched to digital ID cards my last year at BYU and I didn't think to pay the $10 or $15 so I could keep that card. I have regretted ever since. The free replacement card has a BYU standard haircut.

Jesus (likely) and every modern prophet for over 100 years had beards. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young (both at times) and (likely) Jesus also had long hair. Time for BYU to let go of this historical relic. Not allowing hair colors that aren't natural; not allowing messy, dirty and/or unkempt/ tattered clothes or clothes that wouldn't cover garments is fine. Many schools have similar restrictions on short shirts, sleeveless tops, clothes that aren't nice to some standard, etc.