Article on Serena in the New Yorker

[colleen66]

@Colleen actually I'm sorry you're completely wrong. We find Serena fascinating, it diminishes Serena's trials and tribulations and her success to ONLY discuss them within the scope of race. We've all been on tennis message boards for years. We've had the race discussion MANY times as it pertains to Venus and Serena.

To be honest we're mostly just ready to discuss the complicated other issues surrounding Serena's place in society as well as all women sports stars.

If Serena has had troubles connecting with society/the tennis world, it's pretty small minded to claim the only big issue is about racism. How about feminism? How about body consciousness? How about women still being expected, even as sports stars, to be submissive and sweet in the way they speak? The scope is not so small that every time this discussion arises we must first and foremost discuss race.

You have missed my point. I am not diminishing the other issues that the public, both tennis and non-tennis fans, have with Serena. Nor did I say that the "only big issue is about racism." Are you implying that since race has been discussed "MANY" times, it no longer pertains to the perceptions that both old and NEW tennis fans may have about Serena. While body consciousness and perceived arrogance et al. play a role in how she is viewed ,critiqued or praised, racism is still an underlying factor and should not be diminished. It is truly a small minded person who decides that since it is time to move on, everyone must also move on. While I might not agree with your opinion, I would never tell you that your opinion is "completely wrong" since it is only your opinion and not a fact written into law.

 

[colleen66]

^ Such excellent points, sk310. The "Serena Question" is complicated, with many moving parts, not just the one. We should be able to discuss everything about her and her game without the Wall (as you say) of race springing up and negating the more subtle conversations. Heck, one of the reasons she isn't more recognized as the greatest American athlete now is that she plays tennis. That's just a favoritism of other sports over tennis.

Why must an issue of race be viewed as negating "more subtle conversations?" There are some people who can discuss both subtle and and so subtle issues coherently and pragmatically.

 

[colleen66]

I think the thing with Serena that I was hoping many fans would have taken from the article is it is far too complicated to attribute her successes and failures as an athlete to one thing. I admit as a fan at times I don't even understand her. I like the fact with Serena that I never know what I am going to get from her. I think some of what has made Serena successful is she takes to heart the good and the bad from the public. I think if you look at her Wimbledon results and fall out this year that you can see she took it upon herself to improve and make a hard court run. I think Serena is a good sport in that she takes her lumps when she has to take them.

Believe it or not, but many fans do believe that her success and failures are attributed to many things and not just race. However, when individuals try to stamp down the race issue because they feel that it is overdone it can be viewed as a slap to the face, especially if they still experience the subtle and not so subtle forms of racism in their lives.

 

[special700]

http://www.thefrisky.com/2014-09-09/on-serena-williams-the-racism-experienced-by-black-women-athletes/

Articles chronicling the story of Serena’s 3rd consecutive U.S. Open win were accompanied with pictures of a smiling trophy-displaying Serena Williams standing in front of American flags as they wavered carelessly behind. For many, this photo represents the modern America we all want to believe in: One free of yesteryear’s discrimination and racism that would’ve disallowed Black access to the sport. Where a little Black girl from Compton, California, among America’s most impoverished neighborhoods, can ascend to the ranks of “the best in the world” worth over $50 million — all earned from hard work and dedication. And this is the America we display to the world.

However, a stark reality exists that Black people in this country are far too well-aware of. One where all Black accomplishment is met with condemnation and ugly racist remarks.

Buried within the comments section of such stories of American victory, tells the reality that a Black woman does not represent America to White Americans. Nor is she worthy of support or even much deserved congratulations. The general consensus by such White people? Serena Williams, like President Obama, should be dehumanized and ridiculed merely because of her skin color. Here are some examples that represent the general consensus reached by many White commenters:

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[I adjusted the URL to go directly to this article, instead of a list of everything by the author. No content in this post was edited.]