Motherhood has caused Serena Williams to reminisce on her upbringing and the bravery that her mom displayed during the rearing years. The new celebrity mom wrote a moving open letter to her mother, Oracene Price, that has received more than 1,000 points on Reddit since going live on Tuesday night.
“Dear Mom,” Serena began. “You are one of the strongest women I know. I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter) and she has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body. I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15-years-old and even to this day,” Serena admitted.
The star athlete went on to address the many ways in which critics have body-shamed her over the years. “I’ve been called a man because I appeared outwardly strong,” Serena revealed. “It has been said that that I use drugs (No, I have always had far too much integrity to behave dishonestly in order to gain an advantage). It has been said I don’t belong in Women’s sports — that I belong in Men’s — because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard and I was born with this bad*ss body and proud of it).”
The tennis star turned her attention back to her mom. “I’m not sure how you did not go off on every single reporter, person, announcer and quite frankly, hater, who was too ignorant to understand the power of a black woman,” she explained. “I am proud we were able to show them what some women look like. We don’t all look the same. We are curvy, strong, muscular, tall, small, just to name a few, and all the same: we are women and proud!”
Williams ended her note by thanking her mom for all of her courage and class. “I’m not sure if I am as meek and strong as you are yet. I hope to get there one day. I love you dearly,” the celebrity mom wrote.
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian welcomed a baby girl, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., on September 1, 2017. She is the couple’s first child.
