In British Vogue’s November issue, 39-year-old tennis star Serena Williams spoke about Black Lives Matter, body positivity and female empowerment.
In British Vogue’s November issue, 39-year-old tennis star Serena Williams spoke about Black Lives Matter, body positivity and female empowerment.
Serena Williams talks social issues
Serena Williams believes that she is “underpaid” and “undervalued” in comparison with fellow white tennis players.
Although Williams also said, “I’ve never been a person that has been like, ‘I want to be a different colour’ or ‘I want my skin tone to be lighter.’ I like who I am, I like how I look, and I love representing the beautiful dark women out there.
For me, it’s perfect. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
On the issue of female empowerment Serena Williams said: “In this society, women are not taught or expected to be that future leader or future CEO, the narrative has to change. And maybe it doesn’t get better in time for me, but someone in my position can show women and people of colour that we have a voice, because lord knows I use mine. I love sticking up for people and supporting women. Being the voice that millions of people don’t have.”
The tennis star and Reddit co-founder’s wife also spoke her body, saying: “When I was growing up, what was celebrated was different. Venus looked more like what is really acceptable: she has incredibly long legs, she’s really, really thin. I didn’t see people on TV that looked like me, who were thick. There wasn’t positive body image. It was a different age.”
Reflecting on her body she added: “How amazing that my body has been able to give me the career that I’ve had, and I’m really thankful for it. I only wish I had been thankful sooner. It just all comes full circle when I look at my daughter.”
When talking about Black Lives Matter movement, she paid tribute to technology for giving black people a voice commenting that: “We see things that have been hidden for years, the things that we as people have to go through. This has been happening for years. People just couldn’t pull out their phones and video it before.”
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