OT Artistic Gymnastics

[njallday]

Yep, she roll bounced out of Rio yesterday after doing some sight seeing with her sisters


And while some of that article made me cringe, yeah at the end of the day it's because she's a black woman



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I somehow missed that tweet, so thanks. Already saw a billion "Where's Gabby? Why do you leave Gabby out? Why does Gabby hate you guys?" comments on Aly and Madison's closing ceremony instagrams. Just let the freakin girl leave as long as that's what she wanted to do.

Unfortunately(?) she was announced as on the Kellogg's Tour before she even made the team so she can't escape that gymnastics spotlight until Thanksgiving, it seems. I really do feel bad and hope she can find her way after these games pursuing whatever makes her happy.

 

[CoachTamara]

I don't think it's fair to assume all Gabby hate stems from her being a black woman. Was she treated unfairly? Yes, for sure. But she is a different person than she was, and based on what we are provided in the media it's pretty standard people are going to make assumptions (especially when she looks so unhappy at times).

I don't care if she has purple skin, her attitude is hit or miss. Mustafina has always had RBF, Gabby has not. This attitude is new and yes she is grown up, but I think the attitude stems from not wanting to do this anymore. I wish she wouldn't have made the team for the simple fact that I don't believe her comeback was motivated by more than her family and their drive for fame and money. She did her job and she should be proud of the things she accomplished in Rio, but I have a feeling that no matter what she did it wouldn't be good enough and I'm sorry-that messes with you. Just because she is 20 does not mean she can handle the pressure of this. She is still practically a kid. If even half of what I see/hear about her family is true, to me that is super unhealthy and not ok.

 

[ErinS]

I don't think it's fair to assume all Gabby hate stems from her being a black woman. Was she treated unfairly? Yes, for sure. But she is a different person than she was, and based on what we are provided in the media it's pretty standard people are going to make assumptions (especially when she looks so unhappy at ok.

No one is saying that it's "all" because she is a black woman...but at the end of the day the criticism stems from her either being black or being a woman and consequently being a black woman

The criticism over her hair. It's because she has black hair. It's because she has 4c textured ethnic black hair. Simone was criticized because of her 4c textured ethnic black hair has well. They were criticized for their edges. I long ago noticed that Brenna Dowell has horribly thinning edges from pulling her hair back, to the point of having no edges at all, but her hair was never an issue. Black hair is criticized. It is what it is. It's criticized by the black community who feel they have the authority on how another black person should or should not maintain their hair and black hair is criticized by non black people who don't understand it.

If Gabby Douglas were white her hair would not have been an issue.

The meme of Simone that was floating around of her on different male gymnasts backs, hugging them or with Zac Efron calling her a "bed wench". That was because she was black as well. (By definition alone)

Some of the backlash those girls faced had everything to do with race and ignoring that doesn't make it any better and it certainly doesn't make it go away

I also think that it's unfair to say "gabby looks unhappy" and just ignore why she may feel that way, why she may feel alienated. Did she know what she was possibly getting herself into has a veteran Olympian. Certainly. However while appearing worn and beaten down, she doesn't strike me as having had lost the passion for gymnastics. I think she wanted to be there and I think she gave it her all....and I think circumstances both familial and from the public eye have sucked the joy from her.

As far as RBF and Aliya and what is the norm and not the norm of past behavior, I've said it time and time again. No woman owes anyone a smile, a shimmy or a twinkle in their eye. Gabby may have been firecracker of a 16 year old but as a woman and a human being if she wants to be a solemn faced 20 year old then so be it. She doesn't owe any of us a grin. She grew and she evolved and for whatever reason this is who she is now and it is what it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CoachTamara]

No one is saying that it's "all" because she is a black woman...but at the end of the day the criticism stems from her either being black or being a woman and consequently being a black woman

The criticism over her hair. It's because she has black hair. It's because she has 4c textured ethnic black hair. Simone was criticized because of her 4c textured ethnic black hair has well. They were criticized for their edges. I long ago noticed that Brenna Dowell has horribly thinning edges from pulling her hair back, to the point of having no edges at all, but her hair was never an issue. Black hair is criticized. It is what it is. It's criticized by the black community who feel they have the authority on how another black person should or should not maintain their hair and black hair is criticized by non black people who don't understand it.

If Gabby Douglas were white her hair would not have been an issue.

The meme of Simone that was floating around of her on different male gymnasts backs, hugging them or with Zac Efron calling her a "bed wench". That was because she was black as well. (By definition alone)

Some of the backlash those girls faced had everything to do with race and ignoring that doesn't make it any better and it certainly doesn't make it go away

I also think that it's unfair to say "gabby looks unhappy" and just ignore why she may feel that way, why she may feel alienated. Did she know what she was possibly getting herself into has a veteran Olympian. Certainly. However while appearing worn and beaten down, she doesn't strike me as having had lost the passion for gymnastics. I think she wanted to be there and I think she gave it her all....and I think circumstances both familial and from the public eye have sucked the joy from her.

As far as RBF and Aliya and what is the norm and not the norm of past behavior, I've said it time and time again. No woman owes anyone a smile, a shimmy or a twinkle in their eye. Gabby may have been firecracker of a 16 year old but as a woman and a human being if she wants to be a solemn faced 20 year old then so be it. She doesn't owe any of us a grin. She grew and she evolved and for whatever reason this is who she is now and it is what it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But I feel like every time she is being discussed negatively you are implying it's because she is black, and I believe race contributes a ton to it in certain situations (especially the hair). However, her attitude and perceived lack of enthusiasm at times (not all the time) has zero to do with her being black.

Also, I really like you and don't want to get into a race fight I swear... I just don't think this a race issue 100% of the time and I've been getting the impression it is.

 

[shortiet1982]

But I feel like every time she is being discussed negatively you are implying it's because she is black, and I believe race contributes a ton to it in certain situations (especially the hair). However, her attitude and perceived lack of enthusiasm at times (not all the time) has zero to do with her being black.

Also, I really like you and don't want to get into a race fight I swear... I just don't think this a race issue 100% of the time and I've been getting the impression it is.

I normally don't post but I have to say I do believe a lot of the criticism about her attitude has to do with race. While it is perceived as RBF for some and perhaps angry black woman for others. This also seems to be the root of so much of the criticism of her not being patriotic or not being supportive enough of her teammates. Sometimes a person's underlying prejudice sets their bias against an athlete.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ErinS]

But I feel like every time she is being discussed negatively you are implying it's because she is black, and I believe race contributes a ton to it in certain situations (especially the hair). However, her attitude and perceived lack of enthusiasm at times (not all the time) has zero to do with her being black.

Also, I really like you and don't want to get into a race fight I swear... I just don't think this a race issue 100% of the time and I've been getting the impression it is.

It's a snowball effect.

Let's exclude family issues from Gabby's situation since we can't confirm that it's an issue weighing on her...at least not until the book comes out

It's 2012

"Look at her hair" "it's so nappy" "why does it look that way" "who is doing her hair" - Black community

"Well she is staying with white people who don't know how to do her hair in Iowa"-

"don't worry girl, we got you"- black community

"I'm really enjoying living in LA and supporting my family. I took them from poverty and everything is going great, but I really want to get into the gym and start training again"- Gabby Douglas (probably)

"Yay you guys are great, happy to have you both. Worlds AA gold and silver, turn up!"- Marta (probably)

"OMG why is she here"- the world

"Oh my god girl, I thought we fixed your hair, what wrong with it. Your edges, why so nappy"- black community.

"Oh my gosh, why is she even here, she doesn't even smile "- the world

"Oh my gosh she's terrible and she doesn't smile, why is she even here" - the world

"She's good or whatever but all she did was bars in final, she can't even make AA, why is she here"- the world

"look at her nappy hair----it's trash"- black community still

"For the life of me, I can't figure out why she isn't smiling. I mean she should be here and we make it known as much as possible but omg smile" - the world

(Ignores how proud she looks) "Treason!!!"- the world

*pens 3 page think piece of Gabby Douglas' hair*- the black community

"aha! Told ya she didn't belong! Ashton would have medaled"- the world



You can't begin to convince me that her attitude and sadness doesn't stem from her first being a black woman with black hair and then everything piling on top of it. If you haven't lived through the black hair thing, you can't possibly understand how much all of this hurts. It's a big deal in our culture. It just is. Imagine people already not wanting you there and on top of it all something beyond your control being picked apart by your own race. I wouldn't smile either because I'd feel crushed and broken down inside. What does she have to smile about (in the head of a 20yo). She's being attacked at both ends.


So yeah race plays the main factor in what she deals and is dealing with. It is all going hand in hand


And don't get me started on the policing of facial expressions, respectability and angry black women


This also has 0 to do with wanting or not starting a "race fight" but rather more often than not a POC is going to view what gabby is being subjected to from a different stand point and there's no way around it. If it isn't your experience, then it isn't your experience




I also think that the "mental toughness" of a gymnast sometimes makes people think they're immune from real life feelings and feeling vulnerable and scrutinized for ever


I bet if someone started making fun of some of the physical appearances of the other girls, incessantly some of the light in them would dim as well



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cheerKT]

Simone's biggest challenge of the 2016 games, tbh

 

[OLDCHEER]

To ignore how someone being a poc could impact how they experience the world and how they are treated is to ignore your white ( from your avatar picture) privilege. Take a step back and read erins dialogue. Think about how it would feel to hear that over and over again for years. I'm white too, but I recognize the privilege that gives me. How i get the benefit of the doubt and how no one would criticize my hair. Or how Simone's grandparents aren't her real parents because her birth mom is a drug addict and that fits the stereotype better. Simone handled that situation with more grace than almost anyone of the planet.

I agree with Erin again that being a female athlete doesn't mean being smiley and giggling. If that's how you naturally present yourself great. But I am not owed a fake smile for good tv. It's not part of the d or e score.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CoachTamara]

I am 100% aware of my white privilege. And you are absolutely correct I don't understand the hair thing (I thought it looked fine and she looked cute the entire time). I think she is ridiculed much more because she is a black woman by the media and many people, but I don't think that's everyone. For someone to say they aren't a fan does not mean it is because she is black. That's it.

 

[FamousxMindset]

In 2012 Gabby had a personality very much like Simone young bubbly, fresh, and eager. Gabby has matured into a woman, a black woman who falls victim to the angry black woman role anytime she isn't smiling or whatever else it takes to appease society. As a black woman Gabby Douglas has encountered an entire new can of worms about how society perceives her and her actions.

 

[CheerBank]

In 2012 Gabby had a personality very much like Simone young bubbly, fresh, and eager. Gabby has matured into a woman, a black woman who falls victim to the angry black woman role anytime she isn't smiling or whatever else it takes to appease society. As a black woman Gabby Douglas has encountered an entire new can of worms about how society perceives her and her actions.

I felt bad for her in 2012 with all the negative attention to her hair. I felt even worse for her this time around. There was nothing she could do right as per the public eye.

 

[UCFKnights07]

ill agree with @CoachTamara here on this one. Yes she has received lots of hate, and i do naturally feel bad for the poor girl she clearly is supporting her entire family and it has to be extreme pressure at times. However the hair thing i dont understand, and from what some are implying the heat that gabby received was mainly from the black community, so im confused why it would be brought up as a race thing, when it was her own race/background giving her heat for it. I think she started receiving crap the minute she made the team with the disastrous performance as trails, people hated her for it, etc. And it probably just grew from there.
i dont really think its been hate stemming from her simply being black. Although internet trolls can be particularly vile, and i think this is the main cause and starting point that people grabbed from. She received so much crap online that major news started to pick up on it and reporting about it, then it just grew from internet losers to the actual media giving her crap.
ill completely agree with the blatant sexism that is typically present during the olympics and sports in general.
Phelps frowns at his competitor, gets turned into a meme and everyone laughs. King wags finger at russian, receives days worth of media attention......

 

[njallday]

MyKayla Skinner just tweeted she can't wait to go to college in October. Utah's first day of classes is today so guessing she's taking this semester off and that's preseason for gymnastics? Who knows, but I'd say that makes her officially done with elite.

 

[cheerKT]

It was announced today that Gabby will be a Miss America judge

 

[njallday]

*thee* lip color is back this a.m. for Gabby