Fire in the Desert

By now just about everyone knows of Gabby Douglas who won the Gold at the Olympics. An awesome feat to be sure, but even more awesome she is one of the first African Americans (and a black woman at that) to win the gold.

At 16.

Kinda makes you feel like we need to be doing more don’t it?

Well, some might have heard that there are people hating on her.

More specifically, black woman hating on her hair.

I must say, when my mother first told me about it, I thought I didn’t hear right. And I just recently read an Essence Article addressing it and I had to put in my two cents about it.

Okay, this girl is 16, the first African American woman to win the Gold….

Press Pause a second:

In case some didn’t get it, let me spell that out for you.

We got an American who won the Olympic Gold medal for gymnastics.

Add to that, and African American woman who won the Olympic Gold medal for gymnastics.

Still more…. an 16 year old African American woman who won the Olympic Gold medal for gymnastics!!!

Did you all get that? That’s a lot of icing on the cake people!!

Press Play:

Okay, this girl is 16, the first African American woman to win the Gold….and you people are concerning about. The. Child’s. HAIR?!!!!

Is there anyone else who is finding this absurd as it is hilarious????

Her HAIR!!!

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry or what!

Of all the things to talk about, I still want to know, how did you bypass all that and go straight to her hair? In between all that flipping and turning and whatnot, how did the hair stick with you?

Let me holla at ya for a moment:

First off, have you seen the photos of her? Her hair is not that bad. It’s not bad at all. It’s actually very good after all that twisting and turning. Besides have you seen the the other female competitor? If they have any length to their hair, they all wear it pulled back in a ponytail.

Second off, do you really expect her to be looking runway ready? She’s not a model, people, she’s an athlete! I don’t hear anyone complaining about the William sisters when they play tennis, so why the hate?

I’ve heard of this thing with black women not wanting to do things because they are afraid it messes up their hair, but this is ridiculous!!

They won’t go swimming cause they don’t want to get their hair wet. (Look, I don’t swim but it sure isn’t because of my hair. I just don’t like to swim that much, plus after all that time in highschool I’ve had my fill of it for now. But if I ever go to the beach someday you can bet you’ll find me in the water.) 

They won’t exercise cause the sweat messes up their hair. (I just don’t like the typical -one two three four, machine exercises- because they bore me. But I did find an alternative that is fun and helps me, so I do that.)

There is a whole host of other things they won’t do cause they gotta protect their tresses. Look, I’ve recently become interested in fashion and looking good in the last couple of years, but trust and believe I have those days where I’ll throw on a bandana and hit the road.

And if there is something I want to do I will do it. My hair is going to be the least of my worries if I have any.

So bottom line….this hair situation is trifling.

Let. It Go.

Gabby has accomplished something truly great. She living a dream and all that. (I wish I could do all those twists and turns myself.) We have one more person to be proud of.

Now if you wanna sit on the sidelines and watch your dreams and things you would really like to do pass by because of your hair, then by all means.

Meanwhile, Gabby will go down in history and the rest of us will be working on our own thing.

Thank you and good day!!