Gabby Douglas is an amazing athlete, an Olympic champion and a media sensation. She has overcome adversity and a number of hardships to get to where she is. No one can deny that Gabby is a force to be reckoned with, but there is one thing that seems to overshadow her when she is in the media spotlight competing. Do you want to know what it is? It is her hair. Sadly, the majority of these disgusting attacks come from within the Black community which is why I find this particularly hurtful. For years, Black people were made to feel inferior because of the way we looked and yet, still today, some of us turn around and regurgitate those same hateful comments to each other.
As a community, we should be uplifting one another rather than tearing each other down. After all, we are already subject to enough criticisms and stereotypes as it is. One must ask, why is it that some Black people feel the need to spawn out hurtful comments towards each other? Could it be that they simply do not know any better? Maybe they have some deep rooted personal issues that they themselves do not know how to put in check. Envy or jealousy might even be the cause. Whatever the case may be, I find the attacks on Gabby Douglas completely unacceptable.
To Gabby Douglas, I say keep being you and keep doing you. Your hair, although it is an extension of you, is your own personal crown of glory. Wear it how you chose! You owe no one an explanation in regards to your hair. The person that you are and the person you are becoming is the only thing that should be of relevance. To the people who choose to mock and make fun of your hair, I say to them, focus on your own life and maybe, just maybe, you too may accomplish something or become something great.
