The Guardian: Serena Williams to quit genus due to biology inequality!

[PriamFarrl]

www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2022/aug/10/serena-williams-farewell-eloquent-acknowledgement-biological-inequality?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1660166469

She is retiring because she wants more children. As she puts it, a male player would be out playing while his wife did that.

So there is a difference between men and women after all. Who knew.

Wow Guardian really does know the difference between a male and a female human !

Serena Williams has been an inspirational champion. One of the many fallouts from that slap was that the film about the Williams was overshadowed.

I wish her well as she embarks on this next part of her life.

Sorry for the typo in the heading.

The Twitter comments are depressing. Getting pregnant etc is no disadvantage at all according to a load of men.

But the interesting thing to me is the acknowledgment that men and women are indeed different.

Serena Williams was an incredible player but is also 40. Very few men are still playing professionally at that age, so I think as a female player she’s had a very good innings. I’m not sure I agree that a male player of her age would still be competing because he had his wife out making babies - he’d probably be on the commentary circuit and she would probably be working.

I’m not sure I agree that a male player of her age would still be competing because he had his wife out making babies - he’d probably be on the commentary circuit and she would probably be working

Better have a word with Roger Federer then.

There are exceptions in every profession. 40 is a pretty reasonable stint in professional tennis.

There's a lucrative exhibition and Masters circuit, iirc.

E.g. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_Champions_Tour

The same Federer who hasn't played much this year and has admitted himself that the end is near

People aren’t immortal. A lot of people they’re competing against are 18-20. Federer and Williams have had incredible careers and I don’t believe her retirement at 40 is anything to do with her sex. She’s incredible and has played longer than most players of either sex.

Doubt Federer, despite all his injuries, ever had to take time off for recovery from near death birth experiences. Wonder how much more money Serena could have made if she hadn't taken that time out.

Yes, women have to take time away from strenuous physical exercise if they have babies. That’s not changing, and it’s just how we’re made.

My point was that this is a clear biological difference between men and women that everyone can acknowledge yet we are being expected to believe that there is no difference between men and women.

Oh I see. Yes, there is.

I think Serena's issue is that she felt she didn't reach her full potential on terms of grand slam wins because she had to take quite a lot of time out to have Olympia. Men will never have to do that.

@Rainbowshit

True, but insurmountable. She plays other women who have to make the same choices.

That’s not really the point, though, is it? Men who play against each other face no biological consequences if they become fathers. Women do.

I don’t believe her retirement at 40 is anything to do with her sex.

Well she said it was.

@crumpet

Firstly, I think it is the point of the thread. She’s not really quitting because of being female. Very few players at aged 40 aren’t on their way out or already out of elite sport. Secondly, although you are right that men don’t give birth, she hasn’t been particularly disadvantaged by that versus her competition - they’re women as well. Thirdly, biology is what it is. Nothing we can do about the fact that women give birth.

@NotTerfNorCis

People say all sorts of things. It’s likely she would be retired by this age if she had been born male, because nearly everyone is.

Pregnancy and childbirth, PMT, periods, the side-effects of contraception, taking years out of an already short career span to have children - none of these things will ever disadvantage male sportswomen. But let's all live in pretendi-land where men don't have physical advantages over women in sport. La-la-la. Nope, reality, I can't hear you.

Someone tell Roger to become Rowena and he can carry on till 60. He's already got the lovely flicky hair.

Men do have advantages over women in terms of some aspects of sports - amount of time spent competing overall being one of them, if the player wants to be a parent. But it’s not why Williams is retiring. She is at the end of a glittering career because she’s 40, and 40 year olds rarely compete in tennis at the elite level.

But yes, this is just one of the many reasons males must not compete against females in tennis or any other sport.

I am so confused by this post. She is having time out to give birth and look after her kids.If she did not want to do those things, she could carry on competing. men cannot do those things, and so don't have the choice. Why are you trying to make this a GC thing?

She was pregnant with Olympia when she won the Australian Open in 2017. Are you even a fan?