serena williams
We all know the athletes whose talents have defied logic. The Jordans. The Woods. The Copelands. However, there is probably no person who has achieved alchemy in their career quite like Serena Williams.
For decades we’ve watched the magnetic chemistry Williams has fostered between her racket and the ball. The thunderous force in which she served. Her muscular physique that looks as if it's been sculpted in the image of a Goddess.
In the recent issue ofVogueshe speaks on her plans to retire or “evolve,” as Williams put it, from tennis, the sport she’s dominated since the 90s. In the article, Williams is frank about the mixed emotions she’s experiencing with this decision she’s made. “There is no happiness in this topic for me,” Williams says. “I know it’s not the usual thing to say, but I feel a great deal of pain.” She continues: It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.”
It seems like Williams’ anxiety over leaving can only be rivaled by fans’ sorrow of having to say goodbye to the sports legend’s career.
To have watched Williams play tennis since she was just a child was a chance to watch as someone took the gift they were born with and turned it into something otherworldly. From the moment she stepped into our collective imaginations donning a head full of beads that adorned her braids at just 14 years old in 1995, she was bringing all of us Black girls along with her.
Serena Williams 11 Sep 1999: American tennis player Serena Williams kisses her trophy after winning a match (against Martina Hingis of Switzerland) during the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Courts in Flushing Meadows, New YorkCredit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
There were people perplexed that a Black girl and her equally talented sister hailed from Compton, California — a place that had become synonymous with violence and poverty. Their story had become one about defying the odds, as if not becoming a casualty of the various societal ills was an accomplishment and not an indictment of the system they had to work against in the first place.
This would become a recurring problem throughout her career. From dog whistle comments from the “competitors” she frequently bested like Maria Sharapova, to the media and sports officials, Williams was never able to be just an athlete. She was also forced by the many instances of misogyny and racism in her career to embrace a life of activism.
It's difficult to surmise how much she’s impacted a new generation of athletes like Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens, and many more Black girls who see themselves in Williams. We are her legacy of Black woman magic and excellence. Whatever the future holds for her is yet to be determined, but if it’s anything like her tennis career, it will be iconic.
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But while fans view her in that way, the “Control” singer hasn’t always seen herself in that light. At 55 years old, Janet is reflecting on her career and how she came to love her body in an interview with Allure. When the Why Did I Get Married? actress hit music stardom, she was usually fully clothed and wore baggy suits and her self-titled album was a way for her to tap into that body confidence.
"It took a lot of work, a lot of work," Janet said. "It was something very tough, very difficult. But I'm glad I walked through it. I'm really glad I got in. It was a way of accepting and loving, accepting yourself and your body."
She described that time in her life as “embracing me and trying to learn to love me for me, my body, all of that. Trying to feel comfortable in embracing that. Throwing myself in the lion’s den. Just going for it, wanting to do something different.”
Her talent and confidence live on in other artists such as Ciara and Teyana Taylor to name a few who have been influenced by the “Pleasure Principle” singer.
While it may be shocking to think that someone like Janet lacked body confidence, she isn’t alone. Here are some other women who also opened up about body confidence and loving the bodies they are in.
Serena Williams
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Despite being arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time, something that used to be a hyper-focus when talking about Serena Williams was her body. Strength and having a muscular body overall were seen as innately masculine. Serena would receive criticism for her body of being "too strong," especially for a woman.
In the past, she shared with The Undefeated, "There was a time when I didn't feel incredibly comfortable about my body because I felt like I was too strong. I had to take a second and think, 'Who says I'm too strong? This body has enabled me to be the greatest player that I can be.'"
"For every negative comment, there are 300,000 positive ones. My fans are incredibly supportive. I look like a normal athlete, a normal woman walking down the street, a thicker one. I'm OK with that. I love that," Serena toldThe Miami Herald about how she learned to love her body.
"You have to be OK with yourself no matter if you're size 0 or a little bigger, like me. A lot of other people say I inspire them to be comfortable with themselves. My mom was really strong on that, on learning to love yourself."
Coi Leray
Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET
Coi Leray has been at the center of a lot of "body shaming" conversations. Since the "Twinnem" rapper rose to popularity, more eyeballs have been placed on her small frame, and with it more unsolicited critiques. Earlier last year, she defended herself in a series of tweets.
"Lot of y’all do this bullying shit to every celebrity,” she prefaced in her tweets. “I get it, y’all human. But a lot of people don’t understand how much it could kill someone. If you tryna kill me, just know I ain’t afraid to die. I’m ready for whatever."
In them, Coi made it clear that even if some felt she was "too skinny," she was confident with her body and in her own skin. "Get used to my body because I’m never changing anything on it. Get used to this lil ass cause I ain’t never gonna stop shaking it.
Lizzo
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Over the years, Lizzo has become synonymous with self-love and self-acceptance. From the hits like "Truth Hurts" that put her on the map, to transparent truths on her platforms, Lizzo has become somewhat of a relatable icon. The reason is, so many of us can see ourselves in her. Some days we feel "Good As Hell" in our bodies and the skin that we're in, others we feel the exact opposite.
Lizzo owns that and has shared her feelings with the world on numerous occasions. In an Instagram post shared last year, the singer revealed, "I started talking to my belly this year. Blowing her kisses and showering her with praises. I used to want to cut my stomach off I hated it so much. But it’s literally ME. I am learning to radically love every part of myself. Even if it means talking to myself every morning. This is your sign to love on yourself today!”
Rihanna
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Savage X Fenty
While Rihanna is held as one of the most beautiful women in the world, like many women, she also struggles with body confidence. However, the “Kiss it Better” singer has learned to work with her body when it comes to clothing.
“Well, I actually have had the pleasure of a fluctuating body type, where one day I can literally fit into something that is bodycon, and then the next day — the next week — I need something oversized; I need a little crop here and a high-waist there to hide that part, you know?” she told The Cut.
“I really pay attention every day when I go into the closet about what’s working for my body that morning. I feel like that’s how everyone should go after fashion because it’s an individual thing."
*Takes notes*
Featured image by David Becker/Getty Images for Park MGM
