Simone Biles has been criticized for her hair for years, but it seems she can’t escape internet trolls.
On Sept. 23, what started as a joke turned into a recurring conversation about athletes’ hair, when Sydney, a tattoo artist in Scottsdale, Arizona, posted a video of the revealing tattoo she’d inked on Biles’ neck two days earlier.
The video, which purports to show a before and after of a neck tattoo that reads “Made In Heaven”, only features close-up images of the back of the person’s head and neck.
Simone Biles’ fans rushed to her defense against online trolls who called her hair “frizzy.” (Photo: @simonebiles/Instagram)
Biles was tagged in the post, and The Shade Room played a guessing game with its followers, asking, “#roommates, who do you think is the female icon who recently got this tattoo?”
Fans quickly recognized Biles in the photo because of her trademark unkempt hair, a low-maintenance look she often wears during competitions and at the Olympics.
One person identified her writing, saying: “Simone Biles. I can see the back of her head anywhere.”
However, others took the joke to another level by mocking the 27-year-old’s hair care routine.
One person said: “I knew it was Simone because she never styles her hair,” while a second annoyed person said: “Why do you do this? I’m sick of it. You should get a perm,” while another wrote: “You gotta tell ya off with your frizzy hair and high ponytail!”
Those who defended Biles said, “Black women commenting negatively about other black women’s hair is so…anti-black,” and “No one has amazing hair like us, so self-hating. #TheyDon’tLikeUs, period!”
Biles has been battling comments about her hair for years, even before she became the world’s most decorated gymnast in 2016, forcing her to choose between fighting back or getting ahead of her fans.
Earlier this year, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles posted a photo of herself on her Instagram Story with her hair in a ponytail. “Don’t complain about my hair. It was in place but there was no AC on the bus and it was like 90,000 degrees. Oh and it’s a 45 minute ride,” she wrote, holding what appeared to be a fan in her hand.
In a second clip on her Instagram Story, she said: “I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this. Next time you wanna comment on a black woman’s hair, don’t.”
If you notice Simone Biles’ hair during a performance so epic that she had to warn the judges beforehand that she’d never seen anything like it before, then you’re looking at it wrong. https://t.co/ZWYFdAqKa7 pic.twitter.com/FMRfkaGuXf
— John McQuiston (@JohnMcQuiston) July 30, 2024
Some fans have expressed issues with the edges of her hair not being smooth or looking as polished as some would like.
In an interview with Elle magazine in July, she said, “Most of the backlash we get comes from our own community, which is unfortunate. I don’t really care if my corners aren’t smooth.”
“I used to worry that people would think my hairstyle was unprofessional,” she continued, “but I’m not embarrassed anymore.”
Instead, the 11-time Olympic medalist is focusing on her next venture outside of sports. Biles recently revealed plans to open a food store called Taste of Gold in her hometown of Houston in partnership with Playmaker Group. According to local outlet Click2Houston.com, the restaurant is scheduled to open at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in early 2025.
Reacting to the news, Biles said: “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Playmakers Group and their dedicated team to open a new restaurant at my local airport. I’m a foodie at heart, so at Taste of Gold I want to offer guests an incredible dining experience with an award-winning menu of signature dishes sprinkled with some of my favourite flavours.”
