Simone Biles asked a simple question and got an answer she never expected

S imone Biles has dealt with pressure on the biggest stages in sports, but years later, one surprisingly small interaction with an influencer still leaves her wondering what exactly happened.

The 29-year-old gymnastics legend took to TikTok to tell the story of what she described as one of the "weirdest" interactions she has ever had with an influencer and how a simple question about hair eventually convinced her to hit the unfollow button.

Biles explained that the two had followed each other on social media for some time. She liked the woman's style and content, but there was one thing that particularly caught her attention: her hair always looked perfect.

And for Biles, that wasn't just about appearance.

Simone Biles explains why hair became such a sensitive subject

Throughout her career, Biles has faced relentless comments about her hair while competing, something she directly referenced while telling the story.

"Y'all have been bullying me for so long about what my hair looks like during competition," Biles said, explaining why she had become particularly interested in finding someone who could help her achieve the look she wanted.

That criticism wasn't something Biles imagined. During the Paris Olympics in 2024, she publicly responded to people commenting on her hair after competing with a ponytail, explaining that extreme heat and a long bus ride without air conditioning had affected how it looked.

So when Biles saw the influencer repeatedly posting photos with what she considered flawless hair, she eventually decided to ask.

The two had already exchanged messages about their hair when another Instagram Story gave Biles the opportunity. She complimented the influencer and asked for the contact information or Instagram account of the person who did her hair.

The response was not what she expected.

The answer that made Simone Biles say 'What?'

According to Biles, the influencer replied that her manager had the hairstylist's information and that she would have to ask her . Biles couldn't understand it.

"You don't know who does your hair when you go to your hair appointments?" she recalled thinking.

For Biles, it felt like unnecessary gatekeeping. She also pointed out that the two women didn't even live in the same state, making the idea that she might somehow take the influencer's hairstylist away from her even harder to understand.

Biles said her intention was much simpler. Because she travels frequently, she wanted the contact so she could potentially get her hair done whenever she happened to be in that area.

But she wasn't going to push the issue.

"I didn't need that kind of negativity in my life, so I unfollowed her," Biles said.

Years later, Biles still doesn't know whether the influencer was actually trying to protect her hairstylist, simply didn't have the contact information or whether there was another explanation entirely.

She only knows that the answer felt strange enough at the time to make her walk away. And apparently, strange enough that she still laughs about it today.