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Louise Thomas
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Simone Biles defended her hairstyle during the Women’s gymnastics final in Paris.
The Olympian was recently part of the team that took home the gold medal, making her the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. Gymnasts participating in the games have previously competed with elaborate hairstyles of various types of braids that feed into buns or ponytails used to keep their hair out of their face.
However, on the team bus, Biles took a photo of herself that was later posted on her Instagram Story, where her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. Assuming that she would receive backlash for the hairstyle, Biles explained that her hair was previously done but it was too warm.
“Don’t come for me about my hair,” text across the screen read as she showed off her hairstyle. “IT WAS DONE but bus has no AC and it’s like 9,000 degrees. Oh and a 45-minute ride.”
She then posted a second image of herself on her Story, in which she could be seen holding a fan in front of her face. “Gonna hold your hand when I say this,” text across the screen read. “Next time you wanna comment on a Black girl’s hair. JUST DON’T.”
This isn’t the first time Biles has opened up about her hair. In a previous interview with Elle, published on July 17, she told the outlet that it took time for her to love her hair as someone who grew up without someone to teach her how to properly style her hair.
As for doing more specific and complex styles for the Olympics, she credits social media for helping her out.
“We’ve been able to take care of our hair better and take care of our beauty routines better, because it’s self-taught,” she said. “It’s really special that we have access to those platforms.”
“I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional,” the Olympian added. “But I’m not embarrassed about it anymore.”
At one point during the interview, she admitted to facing criticism over her hair, recalling how people had commented underneath her wedding pictures claiming that her hair looked messy. “Most of the backlash we get is from our own community, which is unfortunate,” Biles told Elle. “I don’t really care if my edges aren’t smooth.”
However, she has since realized that doing her hair is almost a form of therapy for her, and it’s an act that she now enjoys doing.
“I understand and realize I have to take care of my physical appearance as well as my mental,” she continued, adding, “I’m finally learning to love my hair and the texture that I have and the styles that I can do.”
Biles’ return to the team comes after she needed to withdraw from most of the 2020 competitions in Tokyo due to a case of the “twisties,” which is a temporary loss of air awareness while performing twisting elements.
“The brain no longer communicates with the body, they change the move, lose their place,” US women’s coach Landi explained in part one of Biles’ recent Netflix documentary, titled Simone Biles: Rising. “Most of the time it’s unrelated to gymnastics.”
