Wow! Can you believe the London Olympics are over already? I must admit, with all the broadcasting issues I have not enjoyed this Olympics as I have in the past. I am actually glad that it is over. Now I can go back to checking my Twitter and Instagram without fear that someone might announce the results before its broadcast. Thanks NBC!! Besides, football season is starting so I am good to get my sport fix. But I do want to take this opportunity to offer my analysis of one of the hottest topics of these Olympic games. 2-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Gabrielle (Gabby) Douglas.
Gabby Douglas shocked the world when she became the first American gymnast to win the gold medal in both the all-around and team competition. Apparently, based on the twitter commentary, most supporters had completely missed the fact that she was African American. Most dismissed the significance of race and claimed to be focused on the celebration of an American winning the all-around three years in a row. Many remarked that they were proud of Gabby because she was an American and did not even see her as a black girl who had won the medals. This dismissal was spurred by the post win commentary shared by NBC Sports Journalist, Bob Costas. Many were angry that Costas placed a focus on race as he shared what he considered to be a historic moment. Costas clearly believes that Gabby Douglas’ race matters as her story is written into American history, and so do I!
I tweeted a few weeks ago, “Whenever someone says, I don’t see race I give it the same reaction that I do when someone says but. Anytime that you say after holds zero significance.” There were many disconcerting things Costas shared during his commentary. Not to my surprise, are people choosing to focus on his mention of race. Americans continue to aspire for a post racial society. If we accept that we live in a post racial society, then Costas belief that “gymnastics is a sport free of racial barriers” and the aged old belief that “Michael Jordan transcends race” would actually be true. If there is any sport in American society, next to Golf, that maintains racial barriers its gymnastics. There are few sports that match the sacrifices necessary to compete on the elite level. If we measured these sports based on financial constraints, family commitment, practice time, competition level, and career longevity, the sport of gymnastics will definitely rank at the top of the list. These facts are what place Gabby’s win in a space that centers on race in sports. Much attention has been placed on Gabby’s sacrifice to leave her home in Virginia, but little attention has been placed on the Iowa host family. Is this because the family is Caucasian and might draw more attention to the racial complexities? In reality, her host family does play a role in Gabby’s narrative and should be recognized for the sacrifices they have made in giving her this opportunity.
It seems that people are surprised that we are still talking about “Black Firsts” in sports in this imagined “post-racial society”. WHAT?!? I was not shocked but extremely satisfied. The constant media attention placed on the hopes that Jordan Weiber would be the “Golden Girl” put me on Team Gabby from the start. After winning the automatic spot in the Olympic Trials, Gabby’s win was dismissed as an “off day” for Jordan Wieber. Even after Jordan did not qualify for the All-Around competition, the media did not divert its attention toward the two young women who defeated this Olympic hurdle. As if they were morning the loss of Jordan in the All-Around competition, they commented on her absence on several occasions. So, I was very happy that Gabby had the ability to prove everyone wrong in a sport that maintains its exclusivity. And now that Gabby is done with her first Olympics, I pray that she continues to receive the recognition that she rightfully deserves. I definitely hope to be one of the first to purchase her commemorative cereal box.
With every high, there is a low. I cannot ignore the “Black girl hair” discourse that has consumed Black Twitter commentary and the media. Most unsettling was watching Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien after Gabby won the All-Around Gold. I usually enjoy her morning “Get Real” but this day instead of focusing on her fellow journalist, Bob Costas’ inaccurate representation of equity in sports; she chooses to fuel this discussion around Gabby's hair. First and foremost, why she would feel it appropriate to have this discussion with an all-white panel that has absolutely no idea about a Black woman's struggle with our hair is beyond me! A more appropriate discussion for the panel would be their perspective on the tweets and dissension with again her fellow journalist Bob Costas “playing the race card”? Does Gabby’s race matter in her accomplishments? Do people really not see a Black girl when Gabby won? And if they don’t, why not, because a black girl she certainly is! I suspect Soledad’s intentions were good. I do not question her frustration with the FEW members of the Black community who focused on Gabby's hair rather than her accomplishment. I did question Soledad's ability to offer a more informative response to a very critical issue for Black women.
I suspect these women (girls/tweeters) who chose to draw attention to Gabby's hair are probably the descendants of the girls who gave me hell after my morning swim class. Another sport that has deep ties to racial exclusivity and Black girls hair. Instead of offering to help me fix my hair they stood in the hallway pointing and laughed at my nappy hair style. I suspect Gabby will prevail as I did, by learning how to do her own hair (or hiring someone who can) in order to combat public opinion. Were the comments about Gabby’s hair appropriate after her win? Absolutely Not! The focus definitely should have been on her accomplishments, especially from the Black community. However, is talking about how Black women and girls struggle with hair and sport a real concern, it absolutely is.
Black girls’ hair is a significant constraint for sport participation. Do I believe that Gabby Douglas’ hair style was not presentable for competition? I looked fine to me! Her hair was absolutely uniform with her fellow competitors. Do I believe that many women chose not to participate in sport, or even workout for that matter, because of concern for how it will affect their hair style? Absolutely! The attention to hair is not new to sport discourse. Serena and Venus can tell you best about the challenges they faced with playing tennis and their hair. From the beginning, their beaded individual braids claimed to have created significant distraction to their opponents and were forced to change their hair style. It was not because the Venus sisters were more talented, their wins were attributed to their “hair distraction”. Black girls just cannot win for losing.
This conversation about Black girls’ hair is another example of how sport is a microcosm of American society. Black women’s hair constraints in sport are indicative of the attention we get on a daily basis. Whether we chose to wear a natural hair style, weaved hair, or permed hair many of our encounters engage the hair conversation at some point. It is the reason India Arie wrote a song entitled “I Am Not My Hair” and Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry chose to have an entire segment on her show about “The Politics of Hair”. Black women’s hair has become something much more complicated than it really should. Until little Black girls are raised to be confident in their hair and believe “They are not their hair” or that they are, it is a core aspect of self-esteem. The hair comments that followed Gabby’s amazing accomplishment goes to show that especially within our own community, it is an area that needs attention.
There are many aspects of Gabby’s accomplishment that deserves attention, but I am sure that as Gabby continues to shock the world, there will be plenty of opportunities for further discussion. I want to conclude this blog with my emotional moment. I too admired Dominique Dawes as a young girl. The “privileged” communities may never understand the impact that seeing ‘someone that looks like me’ has on little black girls and boys academic, sport, and career aspirations. When Dawes’ emotions flowed during the post win commentary, she reminded me of the challenges that Gabby faces. As if she had earned those metals herself, Dominique’s expression of pride for Gabby gives you a sense of not only the barriers but power in knowing that she played a role in showing Gabby that she could do it also. While I celebrate Gabby, I too celebrate Dominique for what she did for Gabby and the world! Be sure to watch Dominique’s response and please leave your thoughts!
