Gabby Douglas, Gold medalist for Team USA gymnastics is the latest celebrity to come under the cruel scrutiny of social media trolls.
Gabby, who burst on the scene in the 2012 London Games winning team gold and individual gold, faced criticism then for her hair of all things.
Ever the professional, Gabby shrugged it off then, but now the criticism has become too much.
It started last week after USA won gold in the team competition. During the medal presentation and national anthem, Gabby stood at attention as the anthem played.
People on social media went ballistic. Claiming that Gabby not holding her hand over her heart was unpatriotic.
Mind you, many American Olympians, do not hold their hand over their hearts as the anthem plays, instead opting to stand at attention, as many of our military service members do when the anthem is played.
Gabby felt she had to issue an apology, stating that she was sorry and didn’t mean to offend anyone, while also reminding people that she loves this country and is honored to represent Team USA.
She shouldn’t have issued an apology in my opinion. She had nothing to apologize for.
Last night Gabby placed 7th in the uneven bars, an event she won gold in four years ago at London.
Her post performance interview, conducted by ESPN can be read in it’s entirety here.
When I read it this morning, it broke my heart and pissed me off.
Gabby tearfully said how much it hurt her to see people on social media attacking her in such a vicious way, saying that the things they were saying about her were untrue.
Why people feel the need to tear down celeberities to the point where they are tearful and hurt is beyond me.
Gabby is an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST! She has done her job for this country. Twice I might add. Yet it seems Americans aren’t satisfied.
She even said in the interview that she felt like nothing she did would go without criticism.
Damned if they do damned if they don’t. Why, because they are celeberities?
Then you have folks talking about she just needs to get thick skin and get over the criticism.
How can she “get over it” if she is bombarded by it everyday?
Gabby, and no one else who is famous deserves to be bullied like this. It is unecessary, rude, and downright wrong.
While I’m on the subject, everyone is loving Leslie Jones this week, but a few weeks ago they were cursing her and verbally assaulting her on Twitter to the point where she had to leave the site for a while.
Disney star Rowan Blanchard was also subject to online abuse a few weeks ago during the taping of Girl Meets World season 3 finale. Rowan posted this tweet in response to the abuse
https://twitter.com/rowblanchard/status/760275414543589377
So what is it with trolls? What do they get out of this nonsense?
I get so angry when trolls attack people because it shows how much people in this country have lost compassion for others.
How could you attack someone so viciously? How would you feel if someone was attacking you like that?
I just don’t understand why people do these things.
Sources:
ESPN.com
Catherine's Blog 
This is disappointing. Saw an interview with her mom, where she was outraged for her daughter. She said that Gabby is her most sensitive child, so she really takes everything too heart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea. Gabby even left the Olympics before the closing ceremonies. Not sure if it had anything to do with the bullying mess but possibly. I hope she comes back for Tokyo in 2020.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sure seems like a lot of people are quick to make judgements and assumptions — and it’s so sad 😦 Instead of tearing each other down, can’t we help build each other up? Maybe I’m just too much of an idealist! Either way, thanks for sharing and bringing awareness!
LikeLike
Thank you Natalie for reading. In a better world we would be building each other up. We should be. We don’t have to wait until the next celebrity breaks down over social media bullshit or the next 11 year old comitts suicide. We can be the change right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the sound of that 🙂 Rock on!
LikeLike
i totally agree. And beyond celebrities … I get really outraged when i see people sharing videos of parents struggling with their kids in a store or wherever and everyone starts condemning their parenting or lack of control over their child and making comments like “If that was my kid I would … ” or something along those lines. Instead of filming the situation and then helping it to go viral, how about you offer to help or say a kind word. People can be so mean and it’s not necessary in the least.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gabby has the right not to put her hand on her heart during the National Anthem. Some people can’t so why is it wrong that she didn’t. And don’t get me started on her hair. That was beyond ridiculous. That’s why I was so self-conscious of my hair growing up because people believed it needs to look a certain way. Her hair is the least of her problems when she’s competing. Believe the trolls that make fun of her are the ones doing nothing with their life and gain satisfaction when others down.
LikeLike
Yeah. The folks criticizing her every move can’t do half of what she does on the beam, uneven bars, or any other gymnastics skill. They are just jealous, mean spirited jerks
LikeLiked by 1 person
People are so ridiculous on social media. And believe me, you don’t need to be famous to be attacked. They take their targets from all levels. Like the time I bothered to have an opinion about anything important on Twitter… https://alexischateau.com/2016/07/07/the-power-of-assumptions-notorious-for-a-day/
She’ll just have to learn to grow a thicker skin. We’re all human and she’s in a very difficult position, but she’s gonna have to try to get used to it.
LikeLike
That is the thing I don’t get. Why does she have to “just get use to it” ? It shouldn’t be that way. When people become famous, it shouldn’t mean that she has to deal with fools on social media attacking her character. That is where I feel that people in the USA have no sense of compassion towards people. What, just because she is famous means she isn’t human? It’s absurd.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Humans in everyday life deal with that crap as well, which is why I shared that article with you as an example. It just becomes magnified when you’re more famous. Trolls troll everyone.
I live by what is happening, and not what I wish was happening, and prepare accordingly. So I would think it’s best she thicken her skin and prepare herself for what her position brings, rather than sit around wondering why things can’t be different, and crying for hours on end.
Is it an ideal situation? Definitely not. But it is the situation whether we want it or not. If she has a solution, she’s free to apply it.
LikeLike