![]() ![]() ![]() Ramos’ move made it clear that Williams wasn’t simply being penalized she was being humiliated. Because I am a woman you are going to take this away from me? That is not right.” “There are a lot of men out here who have said a lot of things and do not get that punishment. “I don’t cheat to win, I’d rather lose,” Williams said sharply to umpire Carlos Ramos. Rage is no virtue for women it is the provenance of men. ![]() Women often face backlash to our rightful indignation. Williams’ swift response to sexism in that moment was recognizable to any woman who’s reckoned with the social and professional costs of expressing righteous anger. The calls placed the problems of sexism and unwittingly, racism, in plain view. And this past weekend, in the final match of the US Open, she was penalized and humiliated for advocating for herself and her integrity to the sport. Most significantly, it has come to light that Williams has endured more drug tests than any other player at her level. ![]() In the past year since returning to the court after giving birth to her daughter, Williams has faced exacting scrutiny from the gatekeepers of the sport: her sleek black cat suit (designed to prevent blood clots that nearly took her life post baby) was banned by the French Tennis Federation. It really does seem like there are forces at work to find fault or flaw with Serena Williams, one of the greatest athletes of our time, who happens to be both a woman and black. ![]()
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