I am a huge fan of the Olympics, particularly the summer games. I am one of those people who is glued to the television day and night in anticipation of witnessing each and every event possible, cheering on the American competitors and following everyone's progress from trials to triumphant medals. My mother finds my obsession fascinating and every four years like clockwork she says "You really do love the olympics...and you've been like this since you were little!" as if suddenly it will change! You know where it all began for me? It started with the dream team (basketball) in 1992, but it was solidified with the 1996 Olympic games. Watching the Magnificent Seven win the gymnastic Gold medal. Dominique Dawes - the first African American (not woman, but period) to win an Olympic gold. Keri Shrug and that amazing vault landing on one foot to secure the team's win. Those are pieces of history, things I will be able to tell my children about. These events I witnessed live on television as that year the Olympics were in Atlanta, GA and honestly felt honored to witness. With the Olympic games only being held every four years, each feat is important and I want to "be" there to see it!
Okay, enough personal history - let me jump into the 2012 games. There was a lot of negativity surrounding the Black women of this year's events and their hair. A couple of you asked my opinion on it and I apologize for not throwing my two cents in the mix, but I'll tell you why in a bit. The bottom line is for me - while yes I am hair obsessed, this much is true - hair is secondary. It is secondary for my life and what is ultimately important for me (God, family, career all are above hair) and I'm sure it is secondary for Olympic athletes. These amazing Black women are all college graduates - save for Gabby, some as highly accomplished academically as they are with their athletic pursuits (Sanya Richards Ross graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA), they are beautiful and all believe in and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their personal savior. With all of that, you still wanna talk bad about any of them?!?! That being said, there were some fabulous amazing heads of hair competing this year!
1. Sanya Richards-Ross. First of all, she's beautiful. But every time she stepped onto the track, I was drawn to her hair! The color is amazing, I swear it made me wanna go pick up a box of dye with Beyonce's face on it! The texture is amazing too and how on earth she managed to look that gorgeous while running at speeds that slow moving cars move is beyond me.
I love every single thing about her look and would copy it entirely if that didn't involve me dying my hair (you know how I feel about double processing). Off the track, she is even more beautiful - if that is possible - and seeing her hair all done up? I drool!
Congrats on your accomplishments Sanya!
2. Allyson Felix. Another track and field gold medalist. What kind of relaxer does she use?! Her edges and hair were so perfectly smooth, smoother than mine ever are and I don't train like a machine! And if you watched the Olympics you know that as she runs her face is so serene! Like she's not zooming through the air on her feet!
And again, off track - her hair and beauty astounds me!
3. Carmelita Jeter. I have always been a fan of the sleek molded look for shorter tresses, dating back to the 90s. When Jada used to wear it, I loved it. On Carmelita's body (who coincidentally has the same name as one of my closest friends, DrMystique12 on YouTube) it is even more fierce! Something about it just makes her facial features and amazing body even more striking!
Off track, Carmelita loves her wigs - a girl after my own heart!!!
4. Dominique Dawes. Okay, technically she was not in this year's Olympic games, instead she served in news correspondent type role. But it was great seeing her all these years later, still beautiful and honestly looking like she could go out onto the mat and help out the Fab Five if needed! Which it wasn't needed because they took home the gold, but I digress! Her hair years ago appeared relaxed and was slicked up into a tight donut bun; Now, however, she's 'gone natural' like many Black women and her 4a-ish curls are glorious! I loved seeing her in all of her 30+ maturity still living and loving life after accomplishing so much - yet not even being close to being done!
5. Gabby Douglas. While watching their qualifying events, I tweeted "I'd like to give the US team all nice neat ballerina buns!" If I had known the firestorm of criticism to come at this young lady because of her hair I wouldn't even have joked around like that. Honestly - I thought everyone's hair looked sloppy, but a PRESENTABLE sloppy. Didn't I just post about finally being able to do the white-girl sloppy bun? People actually hire stylists to create that look ya know. People aspire to be able to have hair long and thick enough to do this...jussayin!
And my second thought about their hair - specifically Gabby Douglass' hair is that I was proud she was able to sloppy bun with the rest of them. She doesn't have broken off, neglected stank short hair that had to be gelled within an inch of its life to slick back! She has a full head of gorgeous hair, that swangggggggs beautifully as she does her thing.
Haters take THAT! Can your hair do that?!?!
Better yet - can any of you do any of the above?!
You asked why I didn't address it and what my thoughts were. Real talk, I was so disgusted by hair even being part of the discussion when this young woman made history that I refused to address it. Google should NOT return vlogs and articles about her hair when she is the first Black woman to EVER win both the team and individual gold medals. Even if I had posted an article completely in her defense...its still drawing attention to the negativity. Like the stupid people who tweet "Why is RIP______ still trending, S/he isn't dead?!" I'm like ummmm, you do understand how Twitter works don't you? You are actually contributing to the problem, not helping it!
With this being said, young Gabby is all of 16 years old. How'd you look at 16?! How did you look while playing sports at 16? Mmmhmmm. Now ya'll aren't the ones talkin bad about her (I hope) so really that rant wasn't even necessary but since ya asked, ya got all of my thoughts on the subject. But, just like the women above, Gabby can turn it up when she needs to! Check her out when she co-hosted America's Got Talent!
With all of the negative things on television and the lack of positive Black female role models, or appearance of so, this right here proves that we aren't lacking. And it's not a Black thing. The Kardashians, Bad Girls Club, Baseball Wives, Mob Wives, Snooki & JWoww - all non Black doing ratchet things on television. I'm actually proud to say I've not watched any of the aforementioned, but I'm not judging those that do. The simple fact of the matter is that we are entertained by various things and as long as we celebrate the positive more than laugh at the negative, its all good.