Simone Biles was the star of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and was able to add four medals to her collection, making her the most successful gymnast in history.
But even though she demonstrated undeniable skill in the arena, she found that some people were not focused on her athletic ability, but rather on her appearance.
Gymnasts often wear their hair in a way that keeps it out of their face and allows them to concentrate on their performance—after all, you don’t want long strands of hair tangled around the balance beam when you dismount…ouch.
Simone Biles is mocked for her hair
Like many of her peers, Biles often ties her hair in a bun or ponytail.
But while she was busy winning gold medals, social media was full of mean comments about her style, with one saying she looked like she “just fell out of bed” and another calling her hair “sloppy.”
The perfect answer
Biles later shared a snapshot on social media showing her hair tied back in a ponytail.
The iconic caption of her Instagram story certainly gave critics pause as she wrote, “Don’t come at me for my hair.
She had the BEST answer (Instagram/@simonebiles)
“IT WAS DONE, but the bus has no air conditioning and it’s about 9,000 degrees. Oh, and a 45-minute drive.”
The next photo she shared showed her fanning herself because of the heat, with Biles writing, “I’ll hold your hand when I say so.
“Next time you want to make a comment about a black girl’s hair, JUST DON’T DO IT.”
A bigger problem
The way Biles was treated is unfortunately common in the world of sport, with non-competitors believing they have the right to judge or challenge black women based on their hair, while their white counterparts do not receive the same treatment or face accusations of having an “unprofessional” hairstyle.
American gymnast Gabby Douglas, who was just 16 years old when she made her Olympic debut and won gold in 2012, has had to endure insulting comments about her hair.
Social media suggested her hair was “unprofessional” and “embarrassing,” while other media suggested Gabby didn’t belong on camera.
Her mother was forced to step in and defend her. She said: “I looked at the pictures and thought, ‘I’m missing this’ because I don’t understand what they’re talking about.”
“I mean, she doesn’t have any stray hairs, it’s not like it’s all over her head. It’s tied back in a ponytail.”
Biles has also previously spoken out about her hair journey in relation to gymnastics and expectations.
Biles has previously spoken about being trolled because of her hair (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
In a recent interview with Elle, the gymnast said she was inspired by social media: “We (black women) have been able to take better care of our hair and do our beauty routines better because we’ve taught ourselves. It’s really special that we have access to these platforms.”
She continued, “I used to worry that my hairstyle would be seen as unprofessional. But now I’m not ashamed of it anymore.”
After the criticism Biles received online, many loyal fans rushed to her aid.
One person wrote: “Imagine being the kind of person who watches Simone Biles do moves no one else can do, twirl in the air multiple times and land on both her feet… only to then make a comment about her hairstyle! Imagine having that attitude?”
Another said: “Simone Biles is making history here and people are worried about her hair. We are truly at our wits’ end as a people.”
A third added: “I hateeeee people, especially women, who comment on Simone Biles’ hair. Because you guys aren’t out there doing damn flips and winning medals. To me, that’s so wild.”
