Simone Biles is famous for more than just her gymnastics prowess; she’s also renowned for her diverse sense of style. She recently spoke candidly with Bazaar about her road to self-acceptance and confidence, showcasing her passion for her natural hair.
When discussing her hair and confidence, the gymnast noted how difficult it was for her as a youngster. Biles claimed that she noticed a difference in the appearance of her hair when she compared it to that of other girls around her.
She also noted that when she was younger, she preferred perms for her hairstyle and performed silk presses on them to get that non-chemical, natural straightening.
In addition, Biles made it clear that she was not denying the reality that she continued to undergo these procedures. However, the gymnast acknowledged that her hair is currently natural.
She also acknowledged her flyaway hair and coarse texture. Biles voiced her admiration for the black community’s embrace of natural hairstyles, saying:
“I feel like the Black community has also evolved with rocking our natural hair, which I absolutely love.“
Aside from emphasizing her appreciation for natural hair, Biles said that over time, she learned to accept and cherish it, and when she did, the gymnast achieved the confidence she had always desired.
“When I was younger, it was always hard to embrace that, but now I’m very confident.“
Even though Biles learned to appreciate her natural hair, she had to deal with many negative comments from naysayers. One incident occurred at the Paris Olympics when she responded to criticism on the internet over her flyaway hair.
Biles’ stern statement against negativity
After dominating the gymnasium at the Paris Games, Biles confront naysayers with a straightforward message via Instagram stories. Afterward, Teen Vogue covered this story, as Biles clarified:
“Don’t come for me about my hair. IT WAS DONE but bus has no AC & it’s like 9,000 degrees. Next time you wanna comment on a black girl’s hair, JUST DON’T.”
The statement was separated across two Instagram stories. In the first, Biles was seen on a bus with an electric fan. The 45-minute travel without air conditioning and Paris’s scorching weather made things difficult for her.
Because of these circumstances, the gymnast’s hairstyle was wrecked, which she wanted people to understand before commenting. While being the goat of gymnastics was not an easy accomplishment, the gymnast was constantly irritated by such harsh remarks. However, she always found a way to shut such people down.
