The sports icon has embraced the polished and the not-so polished parts of her life, and she is a whole mood for 2024.
In a viral video posted on TikTok, tennis icon Serena Williams pulled off her wig while cradling her newborn baby, Adira, and it was a moment of relief felt by Black women around the world. That sigh of relief is exactly how we want all Black women moving in 2024 , releasing all of the uncomfortable things in the way and understanding that it’s okay to not always be okay.
In the background of the video, someone can be heard saying, “That’s the video, that’s our shot. That’s from coming home after winning icon of the year”—which seems to indicate that the video was filmed after Williams accepted the CFDA Fashion Icon Award in November 2023. That was also the same month that Williams took to X to share the vulnerable post, “I am not ok today. And that’s ok to not be ok. No one is ok every single day. If you are not ok today I’m with you. There’s always tomorrow. Love you.”
“That face. That sigh. That giggle. Postpartum summed right the hell up! Exhausting and exhilarating,” commented one social media user.
The 23-time Grand Slammer has been open about the not-so-shiny parts of her life, specifically the things she’s gone through as a Black mother. After giving birth to her first daughter Olympia in 2017, Williams revealed a terrifying birthing story in which she nearly lost her life after doctors did not listen to her concerns.
Yet, Williams has also shared the beautiful moments of her life as well, such as teaching her daughter languages, to play tennis, and dealing with toddler temper tantrums.
Leading up to eh CFDAs, Williams documented much of the glam process. But one video captioned, “What my life is really like…it’s not as glamorous as you think…” revealed the final result of her hair, makeup, and outfit for the CFDAs, with the next shot being of her sitting in a chair, exhausted while pumping milk for her daughter.
In 2024, perhaps all Black women. would do well to take apage out of Serena’s playbook and be ok with the polished and not-so polished parts of life. Sometimes we too need to pull back our wigs (literally and figuratively) and take a sigh of relief.
