Despite earning four Olympic gold medals and 23 Grand Slam singles titles to date, the tennis champion says she has been treated differently during her tennis career.
- Oct 6, 2020
AceShowbiz - Serena Williams may be among the top tennis players in the world, but that doesn't make her escape racial discrimination. Despite earning four Olympic gold medals and 23 Grand Slam singles titles to date, she says she has been "undervalued" and "underpaid" during her tennis career.
Speaking to British Vogue for its November issue, the 39-year-old tennis champion reveals how she feels she has been "underpaid" and "undervalued" in the past compared to her male and white female counterparts. Despite that, Serena claims that she's "never been a person that has been like, 'I want to be a different color' 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," the mom of one adds.
Referencing to her sister and fellow tennis player Venus Williams, Serena continues, "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."
She later says that it's her daughter Olympia, whom she shares with her husband Alexis Ohanian, who makes her love and be "thankful" of her body and color. "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," she admits.
"In this society, women are not taught or expected to be that future leader or future CEO," she goes on saying. "And maybe it doesn't get better in time for me, but someone in my position can show women and people of color that we have a voice, because Lord knows, I use mine."
