*Serena Williams expresses gratitude toward her mom for being a strong role model, and addresses all of her body-shaming critics in an emotional letter written to her mother, Oracene Price.
Using her fiancée Alexis Ohanian’s social media service Reddit, Williams began by noting that she is already seeing a physical likeness between her and her newborn daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
“She has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body,” Serena wrote of her first child, born Sept. 1 in Florida. “I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15 year old and even to this day.”
Williams then went on to address her critics, noting, “I’ve been called man because I appeared outwardly strong. 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).
She added, “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 badass body and proud of it).”
The message continued, “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!”
She added that only now does she understand what it is like to be a protective mother.
“But 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. You are so classy, I only wish I could take your lead. I have a LONG way to go, but thank you,” she wrote.
She continued, “Thank you for being the role model I needed to endure all the hardships that I now regard as challenges — ones that I enjoy. I hope to teach my baby Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. the same, and have the same fortitude you have had.
“Promise me, Mom, that you will continue to help. 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 tennis star concluded to her mom, “Your youngest of five, Serena.”
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