Despite Simone Biles being the most decorated gymnast of all time, some folks online are still finding something negative to say about her.
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This time around, the commentary is revolving around her hair — which, if you’ll remember, has been a consistent talking point for the gold medalist every time she competes. Why is that, you may ask? To put it curtly: people have nothing better to do than to pick at someone. But to put it in the larger context: the criticism aligns with the unfair standards and expectations women athletes have to deal with, unlike their male counterparts who never have to worry about their hair or any other aesthetic choices while they’re competing.
Even so, it doesn’t seem like Biles is sweating (all puns intended) the small talk, as evident by since-expired posts to her Instagram story where she preempted potential negative comments about her hair. Appearing to be riding a bus with no A/C alongside other athletes while in Paris for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, Biles told fans her hair was being subjected to the sweltering Paris heat.
“Don’t come for me about my hair. IT WAS DONE but bus has NO AC & it’s like 9,000 degrees,” she captioned in a post while donning a ponytail, later adding: “Gonna hold your hand when I say this, next time you want to comment on a Black girl’s hair, JUST DON’T.”
Biles, who won the gold with her teammates on Tuesday, has previously spoken out about her hair journey, telling Elle Magazine just weeks before this year’s Olympic games that she wasn’t going to let how others’ views be an issue for her competition.
“I never thought about my hair like the way other people see it,” she said. ““I don’t want my extensions falling out or this that [and] the other. We don’t get to bring a makeup artist or a hairstylist.”
She later added, “I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional. But I’m not embarrassed about it anymore.”
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