Gabby Douglas' Mom to Hair Critics: Lay Off!
by Free Britney at .Attention, Gabby Douglas hair critics: Natalie Hawkins has two words for you:
Enough already!
Douglas' mom is in mama grizzly mode this week, speaking out to defend her daughter and her spunky ponytail in the wake of unexpected controversy.
"How ignorant is it of people to comment on her hair and she still has more competitions to go?" Natalie fumed. "Are you TRYING to ruin her self confidence?"
Although she has won two gold medals in gymnastics, the 16-year-old is making headlines for more than her historic Olympic victories in London.
Specifically, some have lambasted Gabby Douglas' hair for its appearance and her supposed failure to "represent" the African-American community.
Douglas' chemically-straightened hair, pulled into a ponytail with barrettes and gel, matches the coifs of her four Caucasian "Fab Five" teammates.
Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber haven't been assailed for their look, however. But it's not just the style that is under fire.
Chiefly, it seems to be the fact that the 4-foot-11 Gabby is an African American rocking a straightened - in other words, not natural - hairstyle.
"It's really been African American women that have come out and attacked her," claimed Hawkins of the tweeters who criticized Gabby Douglas."They don't know about gymnastics. She has to keep her hair in a ponytail 28-30 hours a week. We grew her hair out because she preferred long hair."
"I'm not going to make her cut her hair just to please someone else," Hawkins says to those who would prefer braids, an afro or kinky curls.
Together, Douglas and her mom are approaching the controversy with humor.
"She said, 'Really?! I won two gold medals and made history and my hair is what's trending?' So we laughed about it," Hawkins recounted.
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Comments (22 Total)
Sigh. No one hates on a black girl more than other black girls. Focus on the achievement, instead of nit picking at one trivial thing. Her hair her choices.
Warrren or whatever you are. You are pathtic, why woudd you laugh at her if she fell. Im sure she is accomplisishing more in her short life than you are in your whole life. Pretty easy to sit on your big ass, drinking beer, and poking fun at a young black girl. I guess if she were white you wouldnt be laughing at her mistake. Im not worried about my spelling here since your a dumbass and wont evne know the difference. asswipe
So glad the olympics are almost over and it was so funny when she fell off the beam. I laughed and laughed.
Oh please there is absolutely nothing wrong with her hair. She is a lovely young lady, no one should be making comments about her hair style. She's an olympic athlete representing the US, instead of complaining about her hair congratulate her on her olympic accomplishments.
She is beautiful and confident. Her family and country are proud. She should be proud of herself! That is all that should matter.