Gabby Gets A Hair Style Over

Before: Gabby's hair while competing in the Olympics         After: Gabby's hair done by stylist Ted Gibson  

Gabby Douglas -- the 16-year-old, two-time Gold Medal gymnast whose hair some folks just love to hate -- received a hair "style" over by celebrity hair stylist Ted Gibson,  who has styled the locks of First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.

Gabby, who wrapped up the Olympics in London last week, made talk show rounds sporting Gibson's handy work -- a weave of cascading curls. Gabby She made an appearance on Good Morning America with long beach waves; earlier, she appeared alongside Michelle Obama with a long weaved ponytail on the Jay Leno Show.

After winning two Gold Medals, Gabby's hair became the topic of blistering criticism online, with some labeling her hair style of choice -- a gelled, weaved ponytail with clips -- as inappropriate.

Gabby's Hair is Different; So What?

Some have dubbed Gabby's new style a hair "makeover," but it's anything but. Earlier, Gabby defended herself against hair critics and made it clear that her ponytail and clips were going to stay while performing -- a style that many on her team also wore. 

Gabby's new style isn't much different than her previous styles. Past pictures of Gabby show her wearing what appears to be a straight weave; the only difference with this particular new style is that it's a bit curlier -- technically, no different than what she usually wears -- and was done by a celebrity stylist.

Who would turn down a chance for styling by a celebrity stylist? I certainly wouldn't. And you know that just about all of the Olympic Gold Medalists will be offered some kind of style, hair and makeup advice.

This is what Gibson told the Daily Mail about Gabby's hair:

"I believe all that talk had to take a toll on her," he said, referring to the criticism Gabby received about wearing her hair in clips and a gelled ponytail and how it affected her subsequent performances. "How could it not? You've worked so hard for something and then people tear you apart for little or nothing."

 The stylist said he hopes his efforts will help Douglas "feel good about being in her own skin."

"Women know coming to me is a soothing and nurturing experience that compliments the styles I give them,' he said. 'It's about the hair, and then it's about much more."

I'm So Over It

I really don't get all the criticism about Gabby's hair. So many folks chastised Gabby -- read: Black folks --telling her that she needed to "do something" with her hair and calling her derogatory remarks. Never mind that she won two Olympic medals and is the first African American to win a Gold Medal in the Women's All-Around Gymnastics' competition.

Who among us has hair that is always picture perfect, especially if you are an athlete competing in the Olympics? Black women won't work out now, for fear of destroying their hairstyles, and it's absolutely killing us. 

There's something wrong with us when we are all too happy to throw shade on Gabby's accomplishments in order to focus on her hair and how we think it should be styled. Really? And folks wonder why Black women are so fucked up about our hair?

OK, now Gabby has done "something" with her hair; that should make everyone happy now, right? Most of those folks who bashed her online are probably happy, because she's got straightened, weaved locks -- an "appropriate" style for an athlete, right?

*shade*

Jesus!

Can we please just close the book on Gabby's hair now once and for all?

What do you think of Gabby's new hair style?

Gabby Douglas Responds To Hair Criticism

Gabby Douglas hair  has drawn the ire of online commenters

Get used to Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas' clipped, gelled ponytail. Because it's going to stay.

"I don’t think people should be worried about that,” she told the Associated Press, speaking about the recent online backlash that she's gotten from some.

As far as her ponytail?

"Nothing is going to change,” Douglas said. ”I’m going to wear my hair like this during beam and bar finals. You might as well just stop talking about it.”

'Nuff said. As I said last week, haters gonna hate -- and Gabby's hair response is totally warranted. I'm just glad that she isn't changing her hair for anyone.
What do you think about Douglas' statement?

HairTroversy: Gabby Douglas' Hair Criticized

Two-Time Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Gabrielle "Gabby" Douglas

No sooner had 16-year old gymnast Gabby Douglas won two Olympic Gold Medals -- making history as the first African American the All Around Gymnastics competition  -- had the convo drifted, not to her jaw-dropping athletic accomplishments, but, to of all things, her hair.

Seriously?

Some social media sites and blogs went HAM over Gabby's hair. And you know we were all up in it.

“I love how she’s doing her thing and winning,’’ 22-year-old Latisha Jenkins of Detroit told The Daily Beast. “But I just hate the way her hair looks."With all those pins and gel ... I wish someone could have helped her make it look better since she’s being seen all over the world. She representing for black women everywhere.’’

Really, Latisha? This is what you had to add to the discussion? I'm all for different opinions, but sometimes folks really need to shut the hell up! Now folks -- sites like Gawker and other mainstream sites -- are zeroing in on the supposed criticism, making news about an "issue" that really isn't worth reporting.

How superficial -- and stupid -- is this conversation about Gabby's hair?

Hair over Olympic Medal?

Latisha isn't alone. A caller on V-103 in Atlanta on Friday essentially said the same thing, referring to Gabby's hair in a number of derogatory ways, which I won't go into specifics here. But know that essentially, she said Gabby isn't representing for the race because her hair looks a hot mess. To his credit, radio host Frank Ski went in on the caller, calling her a "slave" for her opinions and focusing on hair.

Let's focus on the facts, not the hair: Gabby Douglas is the first African American to win a gold meal in the women's Olympics all-around gymnastics competition. On Tuesday, she picked up her first gold medal, leading the USA gymnastics team to its first medal since 1996.

How Many Olympic Medals Do You Have?

"Hot mess" is up to interpretation. I wonder how our hair would look if we were going for the Gold. I sure know mine would be sweated out, all over my head. Gabby's hair is fine -- gathered into a ponytail, like many of her other teammates. Get a workout regimen like Gabby's and let me see how your hair looks? I dare you.

Why are we even talking about this? Reportedly, Gabby is relaxed and uses gel and a weave ponytail to keep her hair in place during her high-energy routines. Umm... What should Gabby have said, as she was training, that she doesn't want to compete too hard because her hair might get messed up?

I Give Up! The Problem is "Us"

Please! Folks criticizing obviously don't know too many world-class athletes, who don't let trivial things like appearance get into their way. They focus on the Gold, not their hair. I am so done. Let's look at who the real "enemy" is: The "fight" about wearing our natural hair, for the most part, isn't being waged in White America; this is Black America's war. And I'm tired of fighting the battle!

We are the ones complaining about her hair -- not them. Why do we insist on finding something, anything and everything, to criticize about each other? Why wouldn't we instead lift this girl up for her accomplishments, the sacrifices she made to get there and be proud of what she's accomplished and what she'll no doubt continue to accomplish?

I sometimes hate to use the term "haters," since it's often a catch-all phrase that folks use whenever they are criticized at all, even constructively. But THIS ight here? Haters gone hate!

Source

Even if Gabby's hair wasn't fine, so what? That's not the point -- the gold medals are. I could give two less than damns about Gabby's hair or how she chooses to style it. Wear it bald, in locs, braids or shave it all off, hell, I don't care. Half of the folks criticizing her hair need to have several seats, because they've never competed in a race, let alone an international competition.

The same folks spouting off about Gabby's hair are the same folks who don't work out at all because they don't want to mess up their hair. And most of those folks who are doing the talking are Black. What, are Black women competing in Olympic-level swimming not supposed to swim because their hair will get messed up?

Don't Listen, Gabby

I hope to God that Gabby, and any other Olympic athlete concerned about her hair, brushes this criticism off. Really, who cares about Gabby's hair while she's winning Olympic medals -- competing is her primary concern, not her hair. I can just see her now: I'm not going to do that triple somersault because that will mess up my curls! Girl, Bye!

How ignorant is that? Apparently, Kellogg's is quite OK with putting Gabby's face -- and her hair  -- on a box of Corn Flakes, gelled ponytail and all. Let's see us talk about that! Edited to Add: For folks with their hands all up in Gabby's hair, know that this Kellog's deal was worth MILLIONS. Now, how many of those do YOU have?

Olympic Medalist Gabby Douglas on Kellog's Corn Flaxes Box Source

Funny thing is, I saw all of this coming, because I wondered if Gabby was natural (she's not, reportedly). And I knew that some folks would instantly zero in on her hair, just to criticize. She's a two-time winning Olympic Gold Medal winning athlete. Point Blank. Period. End of conversation.

Let's keep the focus on her Olympic accomplishments, not her hair.

What do you think of the criticism about Gabby Douglas' hair?