This Girl Can

This Girl Can

Serena williams

This Girl Can

Serena williams

WHO IS sERENA WILLIAMS?

Not only has Williams influenced the world of athletics, she has also influenced the community, specifically women and mothers. She shared her story on the experiences and hardships of childbirth. Serena endured a very dangerous birth and afterwards struggled with postpartum depression. She had an emergency cesarean surgery and two other surgeries to follow. She developed blood clots in her lungs, and had a second surgery. Then, she urged doctors to administer a CT scan to double check, they found ones they missed. She went into a third surgery. Had she not been so persistent, they wouldn’t have given her that scan and found those clots that could’ve killed her. Serena encourages others to speak up for themselves. Not only did Serena have difficulties in childbirth, she also suffered with a very common condition called postpartum depression. Williams was seen breastfeeding and pumping in between training sessions and feared she wouldn’t be able to provide for her baby. She felt like she wasn’t a good mother and couldn’t give her baby what she needed. Williams said she found herself in a funk, juggling raising Olympia, her daughter, and balancing her career. Sharing this with her nine million followers on Instagram reminded others that she is just like all other mothers. Being an athlete doesn’t make her a perfect human being. She has struggles and makes mistakes just like we do. Most, if not all mothers relate to this and it makes them feel like they aren’t going through it alone. Even the biggest athletes go through hardships. Serena shares her birth and postpartum depression story with the world in order to send that message out.

HOW IS SHE INSPIRATIONAL?

In 2006, The National Post ran a column discussing Williams' weight, including her butt size. The column included a comment that occupants in the hotel room below hers must have "spent the night dodging plaster" after the tennis player said she intended to celebrate a victory by dancing.

Media attacks on Williams' appearance have often played upon racist tropes. In 2001, sports radio commentator Sid Rosenberg said Serena and her sister Venus were more likely to pose nude for National Geographic than for Playboy. Rosenberg was fired from his position on Don Imus' radio show for his comments.

Serena facing sexium

Through all the challenges she's faced, Williams will be remembered for changing the sport of tennis forever. Many Black female athletes have followed in her and her sister's footsteps, from Naomi Osaka to Sloane Stephens. According to an analysis by Sports Marketing Surveys, participation among Black tennis players increased by 44% between 2019 and 2021, and a record number of Black women participated in the US Open in 2020.

In a 2018 interview, Williams addressed the critical comments about her appearance, saying that while hearing the criticism had taken a toll, she had grown to love her body.

What did serena Williams do?

by Jess Smith

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