This article is trying to say that because the theatre used beards as a symbol of manliness, the entire male identity revolved around beards. This is ridiculous

This article is trying to say that because the theatre used beards as a symbol of manliness, the entire male identity revolved around beards. This is ridiculous. Hoopskirts were used to represent matronly women in early American theatre: therefore women gathered around these laughable garments as a symbol of their femininity.