We're Tired Of The Angry Black Woman Narrative Surrounding Serena Williams
Serena Williams. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images
“For me it blows my mind. But I’m going to continue to fight for women.”
By: Omar Cook
Serena Williams is at the center of controversy following her loss to Naomi Osaka at the US Open women's final. The 23-time Grand Slam champion got into a heated argument with the chair umpire after she was penalized for apparently receiving coaching from the stands. Her coach gestured hand signals to Serena and she was penalized for this action. The result; Serena Williams went on to defend herself and her integrity to the game against the official. Adding insult to injury, she was also hit with a $17,000 fine for the event.
Anyone that's ever played a sport knows the time and commitment it takes to be great at a sport so to be upset after getting penalized for this type of action is understandable. Any great athlete exhibits passion for their sport, because it means something to them. This was the championship match, and making this type of call in this match was ludicrous. This happens in tennis all the time, where players receive coaching from the stands. Serena Williams has lost many of times and has always accepted defeat with grace and Naomi Osaka was already ahead in the match but the call itself was what made Serena speak up.
Major props to Naomi Osaka, for winning her first title and defeating Serena. Serena Wiliams even comforted Naomi after the victory but this is just a part of the story. This story is about how the media has tried to portray Serena Williams after this defeat as the angry black woman, and a sore loser using headlines to antagonize this situation.
Any time black women speak up for themselves they are depicted as angry. And in this particular situation, she had every right to be angry. But to depict what happened in such a way that it's demeaning to her character and shows her in way that makes it seem like she was in the wrong for speaking up, is deplorable. Exhibiting passion for what happened is one thing. Saying she was having a meltdown is another. Stop trying to make this woman look crazy for standing up for herself.
The major news outlets know exactly what they're doing by using images of her screaming and yelling because that fits their narrative of showing black women in a certain way. Not only that, but Naomi Osaka is Haitian AND Japanese, NOT just Japanese. The media has done its very best to keep the Haitian part out of the story. Naomi is a black champion. This was a big moment for BLACK women, two black women competing for a championship. Instead it was overshadowed by poor media headlines and poor refereeing.
Serena had a number of things to say about the match, even calling out sexism in tennis. "I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff. For me to say 'thief' and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark," she said. "He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief.' For me it blows my mind. But I'm going to continue to fight for women." Serena is right, had this happened in a men's match, this more than likely would have gone uncalled.
But let's dig a little deeper. This same umpire penalized her sister Venus in 2016 for the same exact thing.
Coincidence? I don't know, but the obvious is that this is not the first time it happened and BOTH women sisters spoke up about it. It seems their is always some type of negative agenda that tries to surround Serena. She was attacked for wearing beads in her hair. She was attacked for wearing a Nike catsuit during the French Open. And now attacked for speaking up for what she thought was right. We are tired of the angry black woman narrative that's being pushed out there. The media needs to do a better job with these weak headlines that forever perpetuate stereotypes, OR maybe just hire more black writers and we won't have this issue. We stand with you Serena.
Listen to the post match interview where Serena speaks about Sexism in tennis.
