She Outran and Outdressed the Competition
The only time I'm (mildly) patriotic is during the Olympics
Hi friends! Did you miss me? I took June off because I bought a condo in DC and moved! I’m excited to be back covering more awesome women!
In honor of the upcoming Olympics (which I have very complicated feelings about), we are learning about amazing track and field star Florence Griffith Joyner.
Florence Griffith Joyner
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, which I wouldn’t judge you for based on this past year, you’ve seen Sha’Carri Richardson sprint across your TV screen. You may have also noticed Richardson sporting brightly colored wigs and long, manicured fingernails. Those fashion choices were made possible by the trailblazing efforts of Florence Griffith Joyner.
Joyner (also called Flo-Jo) is most well known for being the fastest woman of all time, a record that still stands as I write this post. She broke the world record for the 100 m at the 1988 Olympic Trials by running it in 10.49 seconds. Let’s break that down to give you an idea of how absolutely wild that is for a human to achieve. 100 m is about 328 feet. A football field is about 300 feet. So, she ran a football field and some change faster than it takes you to sneeze and grab a tissue. Flo-Jo’s time was literally SO fast that an announcer said “cannot be… no one can run that fast.” That year she completely dominated the Olympics winning gold in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4X100 relay. She also broke the world record for the 200 m by running it in 21.34 seconds.
How the heck did Joyner become so fast? She started running when she was 7 and chased jackrabbits to increase her speed. At 14 she won the Jesse Owen National Youth Games. She attended UCLA and trained under Coach Bob Kersee. This led to her competing in the Olympics in 1984 where she won the silver medal in the 200 m. Her speed wasn’t the only thing that made her stand out. People fell in love with her dazzling style. She sported 6-inch, beautifully manicured nails, one-legged spandex bodysuits, and full hair weaves. Several celebrities have paid tribute to her style including Serena Williams and Beyoncé.
What’s even more complex about her style is that Flo-Jo was mocked in school for her unique style of dress. She chose to embrace her sense of style and made it her signature going as far as to crush up crayons to make her own unique nail polish shades. I would pay $100 minimum to see those mean kids, now adults, face when Beyoncé dressed up as Flo-Jo for Halloween. Her love of fashion stretched beyond her own style and she was hired to design the Indiana Pacer’s uniform which they sported from 1990-1997.
Naturally, because the media is OBSESSED with anything that defies white beauty standards, Flo-Jo got a lot of coverage about her looks. In a 1992 interview, she stated “I don’t believe you have to look masculine in order to compete in a sport they consider rough.” Crushing world records and the patriarchy? YES FLO-JO! It’s really cool to see a woman be unapologetically herself and bring that to her sport. Although her wins were faced with unproven allegations of performance-enhancing drug use (the Olympics has repeatedly said she never tested positive), she is still a certified icon and continues to be a world record holder.
Sadly, Joyner died at 38 from an epileptic seizure in her sleep. But this isn’t the last time you’ll be hearing about her. Tiffany Haddish will be playing Flo-Jo in a biopic about the track star and fashion icon. Joyner’s widow Al Joyner is working as a consultant on the film so I have high hopes that it will be worth the watch.
Other Bits and Bobs
If you’re in DC (or will be anytime soon), you should check out the National Museum of Women in the Arts. They have some amazing exhibits right now and are closing in August for two years to renovate the space.
Hair donations are up 135% during the pandemic! All those people who didn’t get a haircut for over a year are now putting that to good use by donating. We love unexpected silver linings!
Alrighty, that’s all for this week! Let me know what you’d like to see covered in the future. Catch you next Wednesday!
Citations
Time 100 Women of the Year 1988: Florence Griffith Joyner
Elle Florence Griffith Joyner Taught Me What It Means To Be Unapologetically Black and Fabulous
The City Voice F is for Florence Griffith Joyner
LA Times She Overcame an Insecure Childhood to Become an Olympic Champion and World-Record Holder
NBA The Story Behind the Flo-Jo’s
Sports Illustrated Black History Month: Florence Griffith Joyner Smashed Records and Stereotypes