Serena Williams

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: Brittney Griner’s Detention Matters for All Women; Is Serena Williams Retiring on Her Own Terms?

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!

This week: Is Serena Williams retiring on her own terms?; progress for women in Kenyan politics; India falls behind for parity; Brittney Griner’s detention is a travesty; women of color are well-positioned to take power after the Minnesota primaries; New York Times endorses three white men; and more.

Why Serena?

I was surprised by how emotional I got watching Serena Williams in the recent U.S. Open tennis finals. I don’t think of myself as a “sports person,” and though I’ve followed tennis since I was a kid, I never thought of paying to see it live—until Serena Williams became a lead player.

We Heart: Serena Williams, “The One to Beat”

At a Wimbledon press conference on Friday, The Telegraph’s Jamie Johnson asked legendary tennis player and Olympic medalist Serena Williams how she handles being “the one to beat” on the court. In response, Williams did something women often don’t: she acknowledged her achievements and didn’t shy away from celebrating her own success. “I’m glad someone admitted that,” Williams […]

The Top 15 Feminist Moments of 2015

Ah, 2015. The year feminist declarations were too many to count, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ruled the Supreme Court (and our hearts), Hollywood sexism came under fire, feminist films filled the big screen and so much more. In no particular order, check out 15 of the best feminist moments of 2015! 1. The White House battled sexual […]

We Heart: Serena Williams, Sportsperson of the Year

Three cheers for Serena Williams! Sports Illustrated has named the tennis great its 2015 Sportsperson of the Year—and for good reason. Williams has had one of the most impressive tennis careers on record, and this year included a seemingly endless string of achievements. Though she was plagued by illness throughout the season, Williams won titles at Wimbledon, the […]

Women Aren’t Here to Smile for You

Serena Williams, the winner of 21 Grand Slam titles and arguably the greatest living female athlete, was understandably exhausted after defeating her sister and best friend Venus Williams in the U.S. Open earlier this week. So she wasn’t having it when, during a post-match press conference on Tuesday, a reporter had the gall to ask […]

Serena and Venus Williams Battle More Body-Shaming

It seems like Serena and Venus Williams just can’t catch a break. Though both have been ranked No. 1 in women’s singles tennis, taken home armfuls of trophies and been credited with ushering in a new era of American women’s athleticism, nasty comments about their bodies—and gender performance—continue to plague their careers. The most recent […]

Serena and Venus Play for the Male Gaze

Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that Serena and Venus Williams were on the cover (left) of The New York Times Magazine last week. Sure, I might have been happier if either of them were wearing a shirt, but with Serena’s 24-pack on display in its full muscular glory, I can see the shirtless argument. […]