Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style at Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Winter Shoe Trends
    • Perfume Necklaces
    • Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams
    • Bouclé
    • Statement Red Socks
    • Angel Reese
    1. Celebrity

    Serena Williams Wrote a Powerful Letter About Being Body-Shamed: "We Don't All Look the Same"

    She doesn't want her daughter to go through what she went through.

    By Mehera Bonner
    Published 20 September 2017 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Fashion model, Dress, Clothing, Shoulder, Gown, Cocktail dress, Fashion, Red, Beauty, Haute couture,
    (Image credit: Archives)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Serena Williams just gave birth to a baby daughter, and took a moment out of being the best mom ever to write a beautiful essay on Reddit (dedicated to her mom) about not wanting her daughter to be body-shamed.

    "I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter 😳) and she has my arms and legs!" the tennis champion said. "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 year old and even to this day. 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). 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."

    A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)

    Serena continued by saying she was "born with this badass body and proud of it," and thanked her mother for always being her champion: "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. 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!"

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)

    She ended the note with a message directly to her mom, saying: "I hope to teach my baby Alexis Olympia 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."

    💜 💜 💜.

    You may like
    • Taylor Townsend's best outfits at the 2026 US Open Taylor Townsend on the "Message" Behind Her On-Court Outfits at the 2026 US Open
    • A photo of Nikki Ogunnaike with an inset photo of Ayan Broomfield and text reading Money. Power. Style. Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike Ayan Broomfield Saw Something Missing From Tennis—and Did Something About It
    • A headshot of the actress Adia from 'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.' Adia Won't Let Hollywood Be Her Only Dream

    Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    Serena Williams
    Mehera Bonner
    Social Links Navigation
    Entertainment Editor

    Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.

    Read more
    a black woman in the middle of an art treatment with colorful and black and white graphics with white text that says "doing well"
    Wellness Ayan Broomfield Swears By a $1 a Day Hair Growth Supplement—Plus Words of Wisdom From Rihanna The tennis pro gets candid for Doing Well.
    By Samantha Holender
    Princess Beatrice, Sarah Ferguson, and Princess Eugenie pose together in 2004.
    Royals Sarah Ferguson Wanted Her Daughters to Experience "Mistakes"
    By Amy Mackelden
     
     
    Zara and Mia Tindall walking next to each other in trouser suits
    Royals Zara Tindall Reveals Daughter Mia's "Eye-Rolling" Pre-Teen Behavior
    By Kristin Contino
    Princess Kate holding hands with Prince George and Prince Louis, wearing school uniforms
    Royals Princess Kate Holds a Role the Public "Wouldn't Allow" Marie Antoinette to Be
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity
    Prince Charles kissing Princess Diana on the cheek in India
    Royals One Photo Revealed the Truth About Diana and Charles's Failing Marriage
    Jennifer Lawrence wore red pants, a plaid button-down, a graphic tee, Vans sneakers, and the barn jacket trend while delivering the Hunger Games salute
    Celebrity Style The Barn Jacket Trend Gets the 'Hunger Games' Treatment From Jennifer Lawrence
     
     
    Queen Camilla riding in a car and smiling with King Charles
    Royals Queen Camilla Reveals Her Favorite "Pure and Wholesome" Car Snack
    celebrities carrying the Coach Tabby Bag at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards
    Celebrity Style The Coach Tabby Bag Is Red-Carpet Worthy, According to the CFDA Fashion Awards
     
     
    Latest in News
    Prince Charles kissing Princess Diana on the cheek in India
    Royals One Photo Revealed the Truth About Diana and Charles's Failing Marriage
    Jennifer Lawrence wore red pants, a plaid button-down, a graphic tee, Vans sneakers, and the barn jacket trend while delivering the Hunger Games salute
    Celebrity Style The Barn Jacket Trend Gets the 'Hunger Games' Treatment From Jennifer Lawrence
     
     
    Queen Camilla riding in a car and smiling with King Charles
    Royals Queen Camilla Reveals Her Favorite "Pure and Wholesome" Car Snack
    celebrities carrying the Coach Tabby Bag at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards
    Celebrity Style The Coach Tabby Bag Is Red-Carpet Worthy, According to the CFDA Fashion Awards
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.