Even Beyond Tennis, #Serena is The #Goat
Serena Williams has retired from tennis, and yet, her mark remains there and beyond the court. I have previously written about Serena, with her tennis swing serving as a backdrop to the real issues she has embodied and/or with which she has dealt. Within her storied career, there have been many lessons learned from Serena, and may those not be forgotten as we focus (understandably so) on her dominance on the tennis court.
Serena taught us that there may be barriers to achieving our goals, but that does not mean that we should stop pursuing them. And once our goals are attained, it is not acceptable to act as if those challenges do not continue to exist for others — -or that because “we made it”, that when others struggle to do the same, we should be dismissive of them.
We were witness to how society loves to police Black women’s bodies and to decide when they are not “feminine enough”. Yet, Serena showed us that we should loudly and unapologetically love the bodies that were given to us and adorn them in ways that let it be clear that we will not be ashamed.
Our eyes saw the microaggressions including the attempts to deny that such talent could come without performance enhancing drugs — -because the talent was housed in the body of a Black woman. This narrative of Black women’s inability to have talent/succeed without “help” has been false and is the opposite of our reality — -where help is not offered and being “better than” is a requirement
There were the times when she modelled that one can have a problem with a system that seeks to believe there is only space for one Black woman, while making it clear that one’s issue is not with Black women. We can rail against unfair treatment on and off the court — -and that frustration is not towards our sisters — -but for those who we hope will have to fight less than we did.
Serena reminded us that, no matter who we are, the medical profession does not listen to Black women about their bodies. As she dealt with blood clots after the birth of her own child, it allowed for conversation around the ongoing maternal health dangers for birthing Black people. If the medical profession would not listen to someone whose very body was their instrument, then we knew our own voices would be ignored.
We commiserated with the challenges of gender in a world where we are often forced to choose between our dreams and birthing. The recognition that our bodies’ ability to birth is time-limited and many of us are placed in the unenviable position of having to decide if career or mothering is our goal — — knowing that it is not always possible to “go back” to either of them as we age. Serena did not mince words at the difficulty and unfairness of such a choice — — giving a platform to those of us who face it out of the spotlight
We were able to know that there is a place of not minimizing one’s greatness, while still acknowledging those that paved the way for us. Serena made it clear that she is Serena, while also giving a nod to the fact that she is because of Venus. There is confidence in knowing who we are, while also shining a light on who helped to make it so.
The recognition that there will always be an “other” who will insist that their “greatness” should outshine your own. Who will demand that your moment becomes theirs. Who will weaponize terms steeped in racism and misogynoir to minimize your value and accomplishments, because there is no way that a Black woman deserves accolades.
Serena is the GOAT — -as an athlete
As a mother
As a Black Woman
May the lessons she taught on and off of the Court inform how we view, love, and treat Black women
Dr. Tyffani is a licensed psychologist who centers the needs of Black Women and Girls in her work. She is the co-founder of Centering Sisters and co-hosts its podcast. Subscribe to the Centering Sisters podcast on Youtube. Like both the Centering Sisters and the Dr. Tyffani Facebook pages