I have been tuned into the Olympics since they were first broadcast last week, and I’ve been loving every minute of it. I have been so engaged in the games that I find myself watching competitions that generally wouldn’t interest me, such as the water polo and equestrian events.
There is an increased sense of pride I feel during the Olympics; not just pride for the United States, but also the world in general. After all, where else can people representing other nations come together in peace and solidarity? Not to mention the fact that these talented athletes are their countries’ top performers. They are indeed the best of the best.
The pride I felt was intensified even more last week when gymnast Gabby Douglas not only won two gold medals, but also made history by becoming the first African-American to win the all-around. The thing I most appreciated about Douglas’ first two Olympic competitions was the carefree and innocent way she performed her routine. You could tell she was enjoying herself and having fun. At the end of each competition, her electric smile reiterated her cheerful demeanor.
Douglas’ persona during her first two competitions in which she won gold was drastically different during her last two when she received the lowest score each time.
During those last two events, her spirit was broken and I noticed it even before she began her routine. She seemed drained and defeated before she took to the uneven bars or the beam.
The culprit?
Mean, superficial people who used social media to talk negatively about Douglas’ hair.
This child just made history as the best gymnast in the world and people were talking about her hair.
Unbelievable.
One Twitter user said, “I’m mad at whoever keeps letting her wear that half wig and that silky ponytail on the back of some nappy hair.”
A Facebook user posted, “Why don’t they do something with that girl’s hair. It’s embarrassing.”
What is embarrassing is Americans unnecessarily focusing on a child’s hair rather than applauding her Olympic efforts. Even more embarrassing is that most of the negative comments probably came from Black people, as many white people didn’t realize her ponytail was fake.
It is important to note that there was nothing wrong with Douglas’ hair. It was neatly pulled back into a ponytail. There were no fly-aways, nor was her hair all over her head. As a matter of fact, gymnasts are required to wear their hair pulled back so it won’t interfere with their tumbling. I wonder how many people considered this before posting negative comments.
We can indeed be our own worst enemy at times.
The thing that is even more unfortunate is that as great as Douglas did, I believe she would have faired better if there wasn’t the negative attention placed on her appearance. An Olympic athlete doesn’t go from winning two gold medals and being the best in the world to being the lowest scoring person – all during the same Olympic Games. Douglas was broken mentally and it cost her higher rankings, including the potential of two additional medals.
Everyone who said something bad about her hair should be ashamed. With adults behaving like this, there is no wonder why so many children are bullies.
Douglas and her family sacrificed tremendously to get her where she is today. Their reward should have been sweeter from the Black community.
On a separate Olympic note, track and field athlete Lolo Jones also received negative attention prior to her meet. The New York Times wrote an article titled “For Lolo Jones, Everything is Image” two days before her meet. The piece criticized Jones for using her beauty and life experiences (she’s a 30-year-old virgin and was once homeless) to promote herself rather than her athletic ability.
Jones gave an interview on the “Today Show” the day following her track meet where she placed fourth. During the interview, she tearfully said the Times article “ripped me to shreds.”
Regardless of how one may feel about athletes, there is a basic level of respect Olympians should be given. They are the best in their respective countries and they compete on the world stage. Where’s the team spirit?
I know the Olympians are shielded from a lot of stuff in the Olympic Village, generally not even seeing their families. Perhaps during the 2016 Olympics, consideration should be given to possibly prohibiting electronic devices and smart phones, as many of the negative press was featured on social media outlets that the athletes have direct access to. What’s that saying? Technology is great when it works. Well, I would like to modify it a bit. Technology is great when it works for the good of people.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
