Serena’s Body, Their Rules: The Cruelest Attacks She Endured & The Hidden Pain.
Serena Williams redefined power and athleticism in women’s tennis. Yet, throughout her career, her strong, muscular physique became a target for relentless scrutiny, often laced with racist and sexist undertones. She was called “masculine,” compared to animals, subjected to invasive commentary about her weight and shape – attacks rarely levelled at her male counterparts or thinner female rivals. While Serena often projected fierce confidence, brushing off the haters, what was the hidden pain behind enduring such cruel, personal, and prejudiced attacks for decades?
Imagine being at the pinnacle of your sport, celebrated for your strength, yet constantly reading articles and hearing comments dissecting your body, deeming it “unfeminine” or “too much.” The double standards were glaring. Male athletes are praised for power; Serena was often criticized for hers. How does that constant barrage affect one’s self-esteem, even someone as mentally tough as Serena? Did it fuel insecurities? Did it contribute to the “mask” she sometimes presented to the world?
She occasionally addressed the negativity, promoting body positivity and self-love, but the sheer volume and viciousness of the criticism must have left scars. Did the constant need to defend her very physique, her right to exist powerfully in her own skin, add an extra layer of emotional exhaustion to her already demanding career? The public saw defiance, but behind closed doors, the endless, often racist and sexist, policing of her body undoubtedly inflicted hidden pain that few champions ever have to endure.
