Simone Biles reflects on criticism over her hair: 'I'm not embarrassed'

Simone Biles is looking back at her journey coming to terms in embracing her hair after facing criticism from the public.

In an interview with Elle Magazine published on Wednesday, the Olympic gymnast said she is "finally learning to love my hair and the texture that I have and the styles that I can do."

"I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional," she said. "But I'm not embarrassed about it anymore."

Biles said growing up, "nobody taught" her how to do her hair, adding, "I always went to the professionals."

In 2023, the athlete, who is married to NFL player Jonathan Owens, faced criticism online after sharing pictures from their wedding day, with some social media users claiming her hair looked unkempt.

Reflecting on the online trolls, Biles told the outlet, "Most of the backlash we get is from our own community, which is unfortunate."

"I don't really care if my edges aren't smooth," she added. "I never thought about my hair like the way other people see it."

Biles also spoke about how her busy schedule as a professional gymnast had left little time for her to focus on hair care, but social media has been a helpful tool to provide her with some guidance.

"We've been able to take care of our hair better and take care of our beauty routines better, because it's self-taught," she said. "It's really special that we have access to those platforms."

Biles, who is set to compete in the Paris Olympics, which will kick off with the Opening Ceremony on July 26 also said she is now working on prioritizing self-care.

"I understand and realize I have to take care of my physical appearance as well as my mental," she added.