Serena Williams On Suffering From Acute Body Dysmorphia + If She’s Ready To Forgive The Man Who Murdered Her Sister

Serena Williams & daughter

Serena Williams On Suffering From Acute Body Dysmorphia + If She’s Ready To Forgive The Man Who Murdered Her Sister

Before becoming a mother, Serena Williams was known for being one of the most amplifying women in the sport of tennis. After Williams’ speedy marriage to tech entrepreneur and Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian Sr., she became pregnant with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. As Williams embarks on her trek through motherhood, she is constantly faced with decisions of spending precious moments with her growing daughter or playing the sport which previously brought her complete fulfillment.

The record holder has revealed before that she had complications during and after giving birth to her daughter. Williams had several surgeries due to having a pulmonary embolism in 2011. While under the knife, doctors discovered a  large hematoma in her abdomen. After it was removed, Serena was bedridden for up to six weeks.

As she discussed how she has been getting back into the routine of workouts and tennis matches, she has also confessed her battle with postpartum depression since giving birth.

Every day is a challenge but Williams observes it as a new adjustment for the recent addition in her life. She gets candid about snapping back into her body after giving birth, marrying a white man, Colin Kaepernick, her sister’s murderer being free and more in her latest interview.

Her message to working mothers:

“I dedicated that to all the moms out there who’ve been through a lot. Some days, I cry. I’m really sad. I’ve had meltdowns. It’s been a really tough 11 months. If I can do it, you guys can do it too.”

Her thoughts on getting married before marrying Alexis Ohanian:

“I always assumed I’d marry a black guy. I always felt that I could relate more with a black guy, that we’d have more struggles in common, you know?”

Her response to her coach telling her not to breastfeed:

“It’s absolutely hard to take from a guy. He’s not a woman, he doesn’t understand that connection, that the best time of the day for me was when I tried to feed her. I’ve spent my whole life making everyone happy, just servicing it seems like everyone. And this is something I wanted to do.”

Trying to figure out how to be selfish:

“Sometimes she just wants mommy, she doesn’t want anyone else. I still have to learn a balance of being there for her, and being there for me. I’m working on it. I never understood women before, when they put themselves in second or third place. And it’s so easy to do. It’s so easy to do.”

Her thoughts on sharing her post-pregnancy body on social media:

“I hated that I fell victim to that. It puts a lot of pressure on women, young and old.”

Her reaction to being discriminated against by The United States Anti-Doping Agency:

“Look at me. I was born this way. They’re like, ‘Oh, she can’t be that great, she must be doing something.’ I don’t even lift weights. It’s all God, you know, but whatever.”

Her experience with being a successful black woman in tennis:

“I’m a black woman. Women, in general, are not treated the same as men who’ve had the same amount of success. And then, being a black woman, doing something historically that’s never been done, it’s easy to feel like, ‘We’ve always picked on people of this color. So I’m O.K. to continue to do it.’”

Colin Kaepernick

Her thoughts on Colin Kaepernick:

“He hasn’t lost his joy. Colin is happy with what he’s doing. Some people are different. He’s just different.”

The moment she learned her sister’s murderer was being released from prison:

“I couldn’t shake it out of my mind. It was hard because all I think about is her kids. And what they meant to me. And how much I love them.”

How she’s been coping:

“No matter what, my sister is not coming back for good behavior. It’s unfair that she’ll never have an opportunity to hug me. But also …the Bible talks about forgiveness.”

If she forgives the murderer:

“I’m not there yet. I would like to practice what I preach, and teach Olympia that as well. I want to forgive. I have to get there. I’ll be there.”

Williams is expected to play at the U.S. Open August 27th New York City.