On Thursday, 16-year-old gymnastics phenomenon Gabby Douglas won Olympic gold for the U.S. But as Michael Eric Dyson noted on The Ed Show, all a small number of Twitter critics could focus on was the African-American athlete's hair.
"Gabby Douglas, you made history w/your impeccable talent & hideous hair," spewed @BReeMonroe.
Gabby, who is just 4-feet-11-inches tall and flipped and spun through the air in a way that's less than conducive to keeping every hair perfectly in place, wore her hair in a slightly messy bun that was gelled back with hairclips.
"Congrats to Gabby Douglas on her gold metal (sic)! I wish I could say the same. about that hair! Omg horrible!" blared @shestaken.
"We, as a Black community gotta fix Gabby Douglas's hair," chimed in @sarocious.
Hair has long been a critical fixation among much of the black community. On the same day that Gabby won gold and found her locks come under fire, Oprah Winfrey also stirred controversy for unveiling a magazine cover photo of herself with no chemical treatment in her hair.
Dyson was appalled by the online disparagement of the pint-sized powerhouse, and chastised critics for their callous prioritization of aesthetics over athletic prowess.
"Gabby Douglas is an Olympic champion," Dyson said.
"She's being recognized on the world stage for her ability to outperform her completion in a sport," he added. "And to get there, she had to break a sweat just like everyone else. That should be the focus."
The "Flying Squirrel" didn't seem to be bothered by all the haters. She took to Twitter after she won gold, tweeting, "WOW such an AMAZING experience! Thank you all for your support, love and prayers love you all!!! #oncloud9 <3"
Leave a Comment:
Gabby is amazing, and makes me so proud! I love her and her hair - any way she wants to wear it!
Absolutely! She makes us proud!
One of these days, people may start looking at people for the merit of their character, not any biased view of some physical characteristic.
By the way, Michael Eric Dyson, a truely outstanding program, tonight. I've enjoyed your work, all week. Thank you!
Gabby, you are a very beautiful and amazing young lady! There's NOTHING wrong with your hair. Ignore the people that must be vain themselves.
What The heck does her hair have to do with her athletic abilities??? QUIT JUDGING WOMEN FOR THEIR APPEARANCE!!!
You Go Young Lady - Don't Worry about these Idiots Comments about your hair for Cryin' out Loud - What a Bunch -o- GOMERS !!!!! They Are Ridiculous !!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFudBQcplj4 == D.B. - Young Americans
That Gabby is a great gymnast who won a gold medal is wonderful. The hair looks just fine to me, albeit irrelevant to anything. The only other thing really of any importance in context of being an Olympian is the content of her character and winning honestly.
Those goofballs dissing Gabby's hair should be more concerned with the rightly disqualified Chinese, South Korean, and Indonesian ping-pong teams deliberately trying to lose a match that "didn't matter" with the intent of facing weaker opponents in the next round. Or with the other Chinese ping-pong player who blamed the use of the strategy on the format, saying that the organizers should have realized, before-hand, that it would encourage teams to deliberately try to strategically lose when they figured they could benefit from it and believe they could get away with it. All of those people should be banned from the Olympics for life.
You Stand and Walk Proud - VERY PROUD Young Lady - For You Have Accomplished Some Amazing Things and You Are Definitely NOT Done Yet - You Have Much More in Your Future -- Keep Going - Sweety !!!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥ You Make America Very Proud of YOU !!!!!
Dear twitter haters: What part of "Olympic Gold Medalist" do we not understand here? Hair or not, this woman is the peak of human physical ability in her field. That makes her better than you and she has the hardware to prove it.
Gabby Douglass is amazing and this is dominates the web.
KKK strikes again.
Not a thing wrong with her hair.
Who gives a damn what her hair looks like? She is a shining example of the best America has to offer...Congratulations Gabby and thank you for representing the USA with such class and style...
just saying....
Well Capt America it is usually hard for me to agree with you. I see you have hope.
Gabby is a sparkling little star. Just proves size and "Hair" does not matter to one who is so tallented. How mean can people be to a wonderful, developing personality to bully her about her hair. She is a busy girl and what busy girl does not have a bad hair day now and then. You do what you can. You are a beautiful person Gabby, and do not ever listen to haters.
I truly wish you guys and gals would get over this Capt America stuff. I am not a re-reg and I am not Capt America...
just saying...
She is a star. Why would they want to put a damper on her day.
There's no one on earth who can equal her abilities. Literally.
They said the same things about Olga Korbert, Mary Lou Retton and on and on.
She is only 16 years old and the other ladies where older.
Hair??? Really???? What you have accomplished through hard work and commitment is astonishing. Your effort and beautiful smile are what we notice. Hair???? Really???? Congratulations on a job well done.
It is sad when people ignore the hard work to earn a place on the USA team . I think there is a differant agenda here.Gabby just chalk this up on peoples stupidity.
When you're that good....You can wear your hair ANY WAY that you want to. Cheers, sweetheart, You did good and we are proud of you.
To @sarocious: Stop trying to make this girl something that she is not. Never, ever be ashamed of who you are or where you came from.
Yes ....I am white. I am sick of racism. END IT....NOW.
People who criticize her for her hair are actually bullying a 16 year old girl; it says a lot about them. She has performed in a stellar manner and let's see what the bullies hair looks like when they can perform as well as she did. Shame on those small-minded people who have to criticize someone who had done a very good job.
Congratulations, Gabby. All America is proud of you and how you conduct yourself.
And don't let the backward rednecks let you think that your hair needs anything done to it. Your hair is neat-- maybe not perfect, but after all the rednecks do nothing all day but sit in front of their computer and criticize. They probably would criticize some guy who wears his hair in a ponytail or a braid that reaches to his waistline. I know one and he is a gentleman, not a redneck-- and he owns and rides a Harley.
WATCH THE WIGGERS!
""We, as a Black community gotta fix Gabby Douglas's hair," chimed in @sarocious". Well sarocious, we can tell you this. As a community of mixed ethnicites we find your statement as foul-mouthed as you must be in person. There is NOTHING wrong with her hair-- bet yours is in those horrid-looking braided things (whatever they are called) or you are a bushman.
Congratulations Gabby Douglas on your Gold metal win. Ignore these jeolous fools about how your hair looks. Looks good to me. Better than these blone wigs that some of these Black girls are wearing. Continue to be proud of who you are.
Ms Douglas, how proud you and your family must be for you! I just can't begin to imagine the pride and joy!
Not to worry, the "critics" are just "armchair" wanna bes who FAILED IN LIFE.
Congratulations!
Aloha
The people who are criticizing Gabby Douglas hair are the most hateful, jealous, lowest form of humanity in my opinion, I wonder how many of those people could earn 2 gold medals in a manner of 5 days with a cash package of $25, 000.00 per medal totals $50,000.00 and the endorsements that will follow at the age of 16 years..The more there is jealousy and criticism, the heftier the financial rewards, the more she will become popular, Congratulations Gabby, for a job well done, also, congratulations to the entire women and men gymnastics team...
Miss Douglas I give you admiration for overcoming all obstacles to become the worlds greatest gymnast with the goldmetal in hand and ignore those heartless jealous fools who are not there competing for the US.
Gabby is an extremely talented gymnast, and she was very relaxed and focused during the competition: that is all that should have mattered in evaluating her-- unless you will like to add that she is very charismatic and pretty.
The Ed show staff and everyone else who thinks there is a story here is taking what were obviously not intended to be serious comments by a couple of people on twitter.
People Twitter is not a news source go find something important. Are you kidding me this is just tabloid stupidity. Palin style stupidity. If it's happening on Twitter and Facebook it really isn't something that belongs in serious national public discourse.
I think she did excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Funny thing here, if this girl was white, dyson wouldn't give a rats azz.
Cow, why don't you grow up.
He don'tknow how.
He has too many split personalities. No self identification