Serena Williams is no stranger to the spotlight.
Even after retiring, she continues to make waves both on and off the court. But this time, it’s not her athletic brilliance or entrepreneurial success making headlines. Instead, it’s a more personal matter that has sparked conversations: a discussion about her skin tone. Yes, you read that right. Williams, who has always championed confidence and self-love, found herself in the middle of a controversy when her skin tone became a topic of debate. But in true style, the 23-time Grand Slam champion wasn’t about to let the chatter take center stage for long.
In a surprising development for the former American sensation, she was surrounded by the allegations of bleaching her skin. It started towards the end of November after Williams took her to her social media to share a fun clip with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Soon, several users took to X claiming the tennis great used a bleaching procedure, meaning she used products or treatments to lighten her skin. However, Williams did not let this rumor swirl around for long.
READ: Tennis Rumor: Toxicology Insider Declares Iga Swiatek ‘Not Guilty’ in Doping Saga with Stunning Revelation
The 43-year-old participated in an Instagram live for her make-up brand WYN and engaged with fans over her make-up routine and practices. She used the video to clearly lash out at her critics and clarify that she has not gone through any such procedure. “For you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin,” she said adding “I am calling you out on this because it is ridiculous that everyone is like ‘Oh she bleaches skin.’ Continuing further, Williams expressed her pride in being a black woman sharing how the shade of her skin makes no difference for her.
“I am a dark black woman and I love who I am and I love how I look. That’s not just my thing and people do it that’s their thing when they have every opportunity. I don’t judge. But you guys do. But that’s what this world is about and I stay in my lane, the non-judgy one and I keep it,” she shared. Reiterating her stance, she said, “But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin so can we just kinda clear that up?” Interestingly, this is not the first time when Williams has faced such allegations.
In 2021, Serena Williams posted a picture on her Instagram account, where her face looked a little too bright. Soon, many users jumped to the conclusion that the American tennis player had bleached her skin without considering elements like light that could have impacted the picture. Similar accusations took place in August this year with fans claiming her to have used external procedures to brighten her skin tone. However, Williams took a veiled jibe back then as well.
Sharing a picture donning a denim jacket and jeans, Williams captioned it, “100% real … forehead to toe … lol,” which was directly linked to the allegations she faced. And indeed! For a player who expressed pride in being a black athlete throughout her career, witnessing such accusations can be quite surprising at times. In fact, Serena Williams once motivated young black girls and budding athletes to get inspired by her and admire their own beauty.
Serena Williams did not just enter a sport that was once considered to be dominated by white athletes, but completely ruled it for years. The 23 Grand Slams she amassed besides the Olympic Gold Medal highlight her success and determination irrespective of all the challenges she faced. And now, Williams only wishes to inspire more such black people to take pride in what they do while she herself expresses pride in her skin tone.
In an interview with Time Magazine in 2022, Williams said, “A lot of people feel they’re not pretty or they’re not cute enough because their skin is dark.” Dismissing such beliefs, she added, “I think people could feel my confidence, because I was always told, ‘You look great. Be Black and be proud’.” Continuing further she added, “Giving them that confidence, that motivation, is something that has literally never been done. You don’t let the world decide beauty.
