i live in a society in which brown/dark-skinned girls/women are underrepresented. mixed or “exotic-looking” girls/women are constantly portrayed as being sexier, prettier and a lot of times they’re presented as though they represent Black women in general.

i look around and wonder how it feels for little Black girls, you know the ones that don’t naturally have silky hair or light skin or eyes, to seek someone they can relate to and only find maybe a handful of examples. 

this is why gabby douglas is so important. i love it that she looks like a “regular Black girl” and that moniker is not a diss as i consider myself a “regular Black woman.”

            sidebar: in my opinion, too many Black people are afraid of just being Black. we always have to mention our lineage and how our ancestors or great grandparents were   such and such but aren’t almost all Black Americans (who are descendants of slaves) mixed with something? i’m not sure any of us are pure in that respect… but regardless of what my dad or grandparents have in their blood, i’m cool with being just Black.

anyway, i love gabby and i wish she hadn’t even put that ponytail in because not only does her hair not matter in a gymnastics competition (its not a beauty pageant) but there are a lot of little Black girls with hair just like her! and, it makes me sad to know that there are Black women out there who are degrading this talented, smart, young woman with their ignorant comments about her hair. talk about crabs in a barrel…