If You Don’t Like It, That’s Okay

While USA gymnast Simone Biles was in Paris for the 2024 Olympics, she experienced a distressing incident when someone made an unkind remark about her hair during a 45-minute bus ride through the city, without air conditioning.

The 27-year-old gymnast took to Instagram to express her frustration about the situation. In a two-part story, she highlighted that it’s inappropriate to comment on someone’s appearance, especially in a public setting.

In a recent interview with People.com, Biles explained why she felt the need to educate her followers about proper social etiquette after the incident.

“We were on the bus and it was 97 degrees, and we were sweating bullets,” Biles said. “I’d just freshly pressed out my edges, and I thought, ‘Oh God, I know they’re going to start with my hair, so I’m going to set the record straight.’”

“…I feel like everyone not only has different hair textures but also different ways they like to wear their hair. Whenever I’m competing, I know my hair gets messy. My gymnastics is clean; my hair is messy. Even if my hair is all over the place, I’m still performing because that’s not what I’m worried about when I’m on a world stage. And if you don’t like it, you don’t like it.”

Biles emphasized that it’s acceptable for an athlete’s hair to be messy. She also shared with People.com that it’s particularly discouraging when Black people are the ones making comments about her hair.

“We know how hard and how annoying and irritating that is, so why would you go and comment on another girl? It’s beyond me. But it doesn’t bother me as much as it did when I was younger because I know when I need to look right, I will look right.”