her tightly coiled hair. From the moment the gymnast stepped onto the national stage in 2016 to her wedding photos in April 2023, she faced criticism from many other Black women for her untamed edges, reinforcing the critique that her kinky hair didn't conform to European beauty standards. The reality is the critique of her Afro-textured hair often overshadows the athlete's talent.
Once Biles posted a picture of herself in a cheerleading uniform, and instead of people celebrating her exploring her newfound love of cheering with the Houston Texans (an honorary team slot), people zoned in on her textured hair, which sweated out from hours of practice. But at 27, as the oldest American woman gymnast to compete in the Olympics in the past 72 years and one of just four American women in gymnastics history to go to the Olympics three times, Biles is no longer "embarrassed" about it. Simone Biles reflects on negative criticism she received about her hair over the years.
(Photos: Jamie Squire/Getty Images; @simonebiles/Instagram) In a recent interview with Elle, she said she's accepted her hair and has learned to manage it, gaining confidence in her appearance as she discovered the right hair care for herself. "Nobody taught me [how to do my hair]," she says. "I always went to the professionals.
" She revealed that while she now "loves" her hair, in the past, it has been the source of great pain. From a young age, Biles has been training rigorously, leaving little time for haircare. W.