AIBU to say that the racism against the Williams sisters never goes away

[derxa]

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11174583/Calling-Serena-Williams-scary-isnt-just-sexist-its-racist-too.html

Just that. I think they're fantastic sportswomen and every commentary on every game seems to make out that they are the bogey man/woman fighting against the delicate flower on the other side of the net.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Have you not heard the latest, it isn't racism.
There are photographs of two brothers adopted by The Williams brothers sisters Dad, from an orphanage. Surprisingly the same age.
There are photo's of their bodies next to a male anatomy which of course is different to the female.
I don't know if its true or not.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Sorry, wrong strike through, apparently this guy says they are fellas.

[Klayden]

The sexism is pretty grim too. The media comments on the women tennis players far more than the males. They are amazing tennis players and that's all there it to it. :)

[Lateswim16]

morethan what my love?

[Goshthatsspicy]

Unfortunately, Serena finds it hard to keep a civil tongue.

[annandale]

A few years ago Serena Williams was being slated as a girly airhead because she preferred shopping and endorsing jewellery to reading books!

You're so right op

[CakeNinja]

Morethan, what's that now?

I've never head any racist thoughts being aired towards either of them.
I don't follow much tennis but when ive seen them in action I'm awed by their power and physical stature. How amazing to be so talented.

I haven't read the article, things like that (or what i imagine it to be) really drag me down. I'm mixed race and encountered a lot of direct racism as a child growing up in a predominantly white school and town, and I find racism of descriptions (religion/colour) depressingly sad now, whereas 20 years ago, I found it scary.
Have people not moved on?

[CocktailQueen]

Shocking. He's no oil painting himself, yet he feels the need to comment on two successful sports women like that? The Tennis Association reacted the right way.

[StrawberryMojito]

I think Morethan is trying to say that there is a conspiracy theory that they are actually men and they were adopted as children. I think that is what she is saying.

[SaucyJack]

The DM has had a couple of articles showing Serena in a bikini.

If she's a man then I'm the Queen of Sheba.

[3579little]

I love Serena especially. If a white blonde tennis player like Sharapova was half as good or had won a fraction of her titles the fuss would be massive. As it is she is a great player and example to extending a professional tennis players years at the top of her game.

I think she is the subject of a lot of racism. Its just subtle.

[noeffingidea]

I agree, they're both amazing. I was watching Serena play yesterday, I thought she was stunning.
I'm not sure if calling her scary is specifically racist though. I think that's often applied to women who are strong and dominant.

[CrystalHaze]

Unfortunately, Serena finds it hard to keep a civil tongue.

This is true. But the double standards on court are shocking: white male tennis players can eff and jeff all they like and they lovingly dismissed as 'characters' (take a bow, Mr McEnroe). Black woman does it, it's a very different story.

I'd be surprised if she swears on court any more than Andy Murray does.

[LaurieFairyCake]

She's amazing

And I think people are being racist when they comment on her build, her swearing, her stature - and when they put about rumours they're male

She's just fucking fabulous, incredibly talented.

[OpalQuartz]

I don't understand your post Morethan

[annandale]

To be fair, when McEnroe was actually playing, there was a lot of chuntering about his behaviour. Not altogether unreasonable as it really was unpleasant and horrible.

[Profspice3]

I was just watching Venus and the commentator said her win today puts her at number 3 in terms of number of wins at Wimbledon (womens). Despite her success the crowd always seems to favour her opponent in terms of cheering. I think both sisters are incredible

[MistressDeeCee]

No, the racism will never go away. The comments about their physique, the blatant mockery of that female tennis player (I can't remember her name) who dressed up as one of the Williams sisters, padded her breasts & butt, and people found it oh so hilarious..none of it surprises me. Nor does the fact their opponents are cheered more than they are. They aren't white so aren't feted so much..but they're brilliant athletes so thats 2 fingers up to the critics

[Bogeyface]

Sexism yes, racism no.

I think that their physique and general demeanor is not considered "ladylike" (whatever the fuck that means) and is therefore fair game as far as the media is concerned. I find that sexist, but I have never seen anything that could be construed as racist in the general press.

[stareatthetvscreen]

having seen them play at the very beginning of their careers at wimbledon i can say they are very intimidating.the sweet nice polite sisters you see interviewed on tv always makes me smile.also their entourage/family are v v loud and have a huge extremely noticeable presence at wimbledon.the sisters don't really fit with the british style of sportsmanship, a bit like mcenroe but i have never heard or seen anything remotely racist at wimbledon.

[Coffee1234]

I don't like Serena after that rant she had at the lines woman at the U.S. Open in 2009. The one where she threatened to kill her (according to the lines woman) and was clearly heard to say "If I could, I'd take this fucking ball and ram it down your fucking throat". It made her look like an angry bully, more so because the lines woman was physically tiny. She didn't ever apologise either.

[Capricorn76]

I remember the racism Serena suffered during a French match against a Belgian player who cheated. The crowd booed Serena even though she was the victim.

The sisters do suffer racism, it's not the burning crosses KKK overt kind but more covert. They are called 'scary', 'aggressive' in order to make them appear less feminine. They are just excellent sports women who have achieved great things despite very humble beginnings.

Tennis is high pressured with a small group of players travelling around the world together for years and there isn't a single top level player who hasn't thrown a strop or bitched about something or someone yet only the Williams (particularly Serena as she's the most successful) and possibly Andy Murray (because some think he's anti-English) get negative labels.

I think there's always a bit of a backlash from some when the first non-White person/people succeed in a traditionally 'white' field. Every little thing they do is scrutinised, they can't get away with the behaviour their fairer counterparts do. If they do something wrong some people say 'ha it's because they're black' or 'see this is why black people shouldn't be involved in xyz' like they're itching for a downfall. It happened in the early years of boxing, baseball, golf and now tennis.

This same thing where a person is scrutinized because of their colour also happens because of sex when a woman begins to dominate in a traditionally male field. She cannot put a foot wrong lest lots of people pipe up to say she fucked up 'because she's a woman' in order to justify keeping other women down. The Williams sisters are facing both sexism and racism.

[ememem84]

Personally I think they're amazing and exactly what young girls should aspire to. Strong powerful disciplined women

They've been brought up to be winners. I wish I had that much talent.

I bet you that guy wouldn't say anything to their faces.

[Goshthatsspicy]

I'm not referring to her swearing as such crystal
I'm thinking of the verbal abuse she gave a line judge at the US open (l think).