Simone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history. Her tumbling feats have been so advanced she has five gymnastics moves named after her.
She is undeniably one of the best athletes ever to cross the Olympic podium, and as your favorite athlete’s favorite athlete, other esteemed athletes watch her with the same excitement and disbelief as us viewers at home.
She has paved a lane in the world of sports that is holistically unreplicable.
There are so many things to discuss when it comes to Biles’ undeniable talents. So, why is it that her hair, of all things, is becoming a trending topic? Again. To the point where she had to take time out of her day to address it.
On July 30, Biles took to Instagram to silence haters who had something to say about the appearance of her hair.
“Don’t come for me about my hair. IT WAS DONE but bus has NO AC & it’s like 9,0000 degrees … oh & a 45 min ride,” Biles shared in her story, per Today.com.
She followed up by explaining the total irrelevance of unsolicited opinions regarding the appearance of a Black woman’s hair: “Gonna hold your hand when I say this … next time you wanna comment on a black girls hair. JUST DON’T.”
Unfortunately, she’s not the only Black woman whose industry-disrupting athleticism has been, at least partially, contaminated by comments regarding their appearance.
Gabby Douglas, Sha’Carri Richardson and Serena Williams have been on the receiving end of misogynistic, anti-Black and targeted comments.
Black hair is one of the most politicized sectors of personal appearance, existing as both a cultural secret and an object of public scrutiny.
Never mind the intricacies of maintaining “sleek” buns and “polished” up-dos that can withstand Bile’s 14.7 MPH speeds as she launches into her triple-double.
When someone repeatedly makes history and redefines a layperson’s understanding of physics and gravity, why is hair even on the short list of topics to bring up?
The audacity and gall to critique the appearance of someone who can be categorically defined as a winner on numerous fronts is no longer the rage-inducing fodder it once was. This has been acknowledged by Biles, whose use of the “Gonna hold your hand when I say this” phrase indicates that these critiques are moving into a new category of cringe. It says nothing about these world-class athletes and everything about these hyper-critical and out-of-touch commentators.
More than anything, it’s sad to watch. Pitiful even.
Your anti-Blackness or misogyny will never win you a medal, and that, for me, is truly victory enough.
