Gabrielle Douglas: Is it because she's "BlacK"

You knew it was coming. Whether or not Gabby Douglas won a gold medal or not, her gel-back ponytail would be the Internet focus. As I critique the photos that placed her in the background,

I thought, how long before the mindset of what determines the beauty look of African-American women, would come raining down upon Gabby's head. It matter not that Douglas is an amazing acrobat , but her crown of glory is the buzz for a few.

I thought of the torment heaped upon the younger William sisters, Venus and Serena as they battled the tennis world as young girls with their beaded braids. But the upside of the talented sisters nurtured by their parents was you saw young girls emulating the hair style who were not African-Americans girls!

Indie Arie sings we are more than our hair. Our hair, if not white girl long, swinging allows one to give a thumbs up or thumbs down on whether or not we are having a good or bad hair day. Oprah, who has a mane of hair, recently let her hair down in a more natural look on her September issue of her magazine O. A look that in Oprah's early days of her career, she was discouraged from wearing in the media. Now, so filthy rich, who would even notice or care if Oprah went bald..our hair.

Now, so filthy rich, who would even notice or care if Oprah went bald..our hair.

Gabby realized early she was talented. She got those on board who supported her early in her career. And many of us who watched and critiqued her hair lacked the knowledge, skills or even the desire to do anything beyond point a finger. Gabby surely was not performing for us to judge her hair but for the world of Olympic judges to judge her talent, as requested by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, [I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.] and for that Gabby got a gold medal..go Gabby. And if you know nothing else,know that the one singular Gold Medal will have those monied folks fighting to have the gel-back ponytailed Gabby Douglas touting their products. Douglas joins 1996 winner Dominique Dawes as the second African American on a female Olympic gymnastic team to win a gold medal. And when she wins the all around event in gymnastic, Douglas with be the first African-American placing her in history books. Giving folks a whole lot more to talk about beyond her hair. S/N When I first wrote this Gabby had not completed the all around event. Gabby did indeed win her Gold Medal in the all around event.