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Is this impersonation of Serena Williams racist (Original Post) bigdarryl Dec 2012 OP
Hmm. Marinedem Dec 2012 #1
I don't think it is cabot Dec 2012 #2
Its what sportspeople within a sport do sometimes dipsydoodle Dec 2012 #3
Does Serena Williams have big boobs? Sheldon Cooper Dec 2012 #4
... Spider Jerusalem Dec 2012 #9
Well, that certainly answered my question. Sheldon Cooper Dec 2012 #28
Sweet Mary, mother of God jollyreaper2112 Dec 2012 #40
Serena Williams is beautiful ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #41
About body image jollyreaper2112 Dec 2012 #45
She's mocking a stereotypical depiction of a black woman's body… I would have to say, yes. nt MrScorpio Dec 2012 #5
I agree Cooley Hurd Dec 2012 #14
No it isn't. truebrit71 Dec 2012 #6
Playing on stereotypes of black women's bodies and sexuality is racist and sexist. antigone382 Dec 2012 #7
Yep most African Americans like myself find this distasteful would she mock someone like bigdarryl Dec 2012 #15
Wait a minute ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #20
She herself wouldn't mock Britney because she's white lets not play games hear bigdarryl Dec 2012 #24
I honestly don't think that was Wozniacki's intent, if you know anything about tennis..... marmar Dec 2012 #35
In what context would she have to mock Britney Spears? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #39
Maybe, but pulling a towel from your sweaty ass and tossing it at someone is gross. RadiationTherapy Dec 2012 #8
Racist? 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #10
Venus once called another player "an ugly white turkey" ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #11
Be quite. Marinedem Dec 2012 #13
What does Serena's sister's behavior have to do with attacks on Serena? antigone382 Dec 2012 #25
Oh, we got it ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #32
Once again, it has no bearing on *this* situation. antigone382 Dec 2012 #38
Oh shit! Marinedem Dec 2012 #33
Umm, that was Richard Williams, her father..... marmar Dec 2012 #16
Okay, you are correct ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #23
Again, what bearing does that have on this mockery of *Serena*? antigone382 Dec 2012 #27
Yes, I do. marmar Dec 2012 #29
Thats her sister Venue not Serena bigdarryl Dec 2012 #17
It wasn't even Venus. It was their father Richard Williams who said it. marmar Dec 2012 #22
My brother is an abusive asshole. antigone382 Dec 2012 #18
We don't even know if Serena is pissed ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2012 #30
The point is that whether she is or isn't is not predicated on her family's behavior. antigone382 Dec 2012 #31
As Joe Madison says all the time bigdarryl Dec 2012 #12
Hope Caroline is ready for her next match with Serena. Ever heard of a 15 minute tennis bluestate10 Dec 2012 #19
Oh dear. Marinedem Dec 2012 #21
They are good friends, apparently, and it was targeted directly at Serena, in jest... yawnmaster Dec 2012 #26
"baby got back" nt msongs Dec 2012 #34
Ask Venus thelordofhell Dec 2012 #36
No. Lighten up. Especially considering that they are friends. GoneOffShore Dec 2012 #37
Eh, it kind of depends TlalocW Dec 2012 #42
I really don't know. HappyMe Dec 2012 #43
No way. Stuffing a bra and shorts is not racist. Pacafishmate Dec 2012 #44
Did she say "I'm going to shove this ball down your f------ throat"? U4ikLefty Dec 2012 #46
This is tough. It's inappropriate because you should never ecstatic Dec 2012 #47
 

Marinedem

(373 posts)
1. Hmm.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:29 PM
Dec 2012

No exactly sure how it is racism. If she was mocking Serena Williams' ass, I see that as more of a personal insult. To see this as racism, I think you would have to have some sort of preconceived notion that all black women are supposed to have large asses, which is in ittself, racist.

So no, I don't.

Flame suit on.

cabot

(724 posts)
2. I don't think it is
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:31 PM
Dec 2012

I think she's just imitating Serena's curvier aspects. Plus, Serena and Caroline are friends and Serena tweeted the day before how much trouble she was having in Brazil finding bikinis with the hashtag #bigbuttproblems. I think Caroline was responding to that. Also - not all black women have large breasts and a large bum and not all white women have flat chests and flat bums (believe me, I can attest to that fact).

Sheldon Cooper

(3,724 posts)
4. Does Serena Williams have big boobs?
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:33 PM
Dec 2012

And does she wag her ass on the court? I don't watch tennis, so I don't know. I can see how it could be considered just plain old silly, but when you're lampooning the physical (read: sexual) attributes of any woman, and especially a black woman, you're on dangerous ground.

Sheldon Cooper

(3,724 posts)
28. Well, that certainly answered my question.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:47 PM
Dec 2012

I'm still not 100% certain that it's racist, but I'm white. I'll take my cue from black people, especially black women, as to whether it's definitely racist. They would have far more knowledge about that than I would.

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
41. Serena Williams is beautiful
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 02:01 PM
Dec 2012

And she absolutely plays up the fact and dresses to accentuate what a goddamn awesome athletic body she has. She is not ashamed of her body, nor should she be.

I find it strange that people are actually talking about "stereotypes" like her body is a myth or a figment of imagination or something.

jollyreaper2112

(1,941 posts)
45. About body image
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 02:28 PM
Dec 2012

What I object is to telling someone what they should or shouldn't look like. Are you built like a gazelle, perfect for a supermodel? Fine. More curvy like an Earth Mother? That's fine, too. Big breasts? Tiny breasts? You're fine with what nature gave you. Kinky hair, straight hair, red, black, blonde, just work to maximize what you have. Eat right, exercise, take care of yourself, you'll be fine.

Hell, far as men go, there will always be beanpoles that couldn't put on a pound of muscle if they tried and guys built like fireplugs. I could never get away with that 70's skinny jean look with a 28 inch waist. Then again, my legs are solid muscle. Still working off weight from around the middle. That's within my control. No use worrying about what isn't.

There are always going to be looks that turn my head, women who make my eyes widen, jaw go slack, and tip my hat in respect. But there's a difference between having appreciation and being a pig. When you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong and telling people what they should do, you're being a pig. Telling healthy women they're fat and need to lose weight? Tabloid crap? Ugh.

antigone382

(3,682 posts)
7. Playing on stereotypes of black women's bodies and sexuality is racist and sexist.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:36 PM
Dec 2012

I could write a whole lot more on the history of such stereotypes but I just don't have time right now. The bottom line is that Ms. Williams did not ask to have her body scrutinized and mocked in this way, and I find this incredibly inappropriate.

 

bigdarryl

(13,190 posts)
15. Yep most African Americans like myself find this distasteful would she mock someone like
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:41 PM
Dec 2012

Britney Spears I think not

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
20. Wait a minute
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:44 PM
Dec 2012

Are you seriously claiming Britney Spears has never been mocked?

Being that this is a tennis match, I don't know how Britney Spears would fit into the scenario, but still....if you are implying that white women celebrities aren't mocked all the time, I really have to ask if you've been in a coma for some length of time?

 

bigdarryl

(13,190 posts)
24. She herself wouldn't mock Britney because she's white lets not play games hear
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:46 PM
Dec 2012

And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Britney's looks personally I think she is an attractive young lady

marmar

(77,088 posts)
35. I honestly don't think that was Wozniacki's intent, if you know anything about tennis.....
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:53 PM
Dec 2012

...... and Wozniacki and Serena's relationship. The net effect is that it plays on racial stereotypes, but Wozniacki would be rather oblivious to that.

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
39. In what context would she have to mock Britney Spears?
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:56 PM
Dec 2012

Britney Spears is a singer.

Serena Williams is a tennis player.

Caroline Wozniacki is a tennis player.

That's like saying Brett Farve shouldn't trash talk Michael Strahan, why doesn't he go make fun of Mick Jagger instead?

 

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)
10. Racist?
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:37 PM
Dec 2012

I don't know, other than conjuring up the image of Hottentot Venus; but Wozniacki, how many Grandslams have you won. Maybe you should pay more attention to your ground-game and less attention to getting attention.

antigone382

(3,682 posts)
25. What does Serena's sister's behavior have to do with attacks on Serena?
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:46 PM
Dec 2012

Oh right, it gives privileged assholes a chance to screech about "reverse racism."

*Quite* frankly, I'm glad such folks are not *quiet.* It's better for their idiotic grasping at false equivalencies to be exposed.

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
32. Oh, we got it
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:51 PM
Dec 2012

It's not about being "inappropriate", is it?

Calling another player (as her father Richard Williams did) "an ugly white turkey" is most certainly racist, sexist, and most certainly "incredibly inappropriate".

antigone382

(3,682 posts)
38. Once again, it has no bearing on *this* situation.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:54 PM
Dec 2012

I did not hear about, read about, or see a video about that situation. I don't have the time to go look it up. I'm not commenting on it. This act has nothing to do with Serena's father. It has only to do with Serena. She may be good friends with this tennis player and it may be fine between the two of them. I don't know. But if that is not the case, if she is offended by this portrayal, what her father or her sister might have done at some point in the past has no bearing on how she feels about this situation. She is not her father or her sister. She is herself.

antigone382

(3,682 posts)
27. Again, what bearing does that have on this mockery of *Serena*?
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:47 PM
Dec 2012

Serena is not her sister, nor is she her father.

marmar

(77,088 posts)
29. Yes, I do.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:48 PM
Dec 2012

But I also think that what Wozniacki did played on racial stereotypes, even though I don't think it was her intent.


antigone382

(3,682 posts)
18. My brother is an abusive asshole.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:42 PM
Dec 2012

I'm glad his stupid choices don't impinge on my right to be pissed when someone else is nasty to me.

bluestate10

(10,942 posts)
19. Hope Caroline is ready for her next match with Serena. Ever heard of a 15 minute tennis
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:43 PM
Dec 2012

match wipe out?

yawnmaster

(2,812 posts)
26. They are good friends, apparently, and it was targeted directly at Serena, in jest...
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:46 PM
Dec 2012

not at Serena's race.

so no, I don't believe it is racist, especially when taken in context.

GoneOffShore

(17,340 posts)
37. No. Lighten up. Especially considering that they are friends.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:54 PM
Dec 2012

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." - Sigmund Freud

TlalocW

(15,389 posts)
42. Eh, it kind of depends
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 02:06 PM
Dec 2012

If they're friends, this could be seen as tweaking them as an individual. Maybe at a televised game wasn't the best choice of venues.

For instance, I, a honky, was good friends with my grad school's Hispanic Student Services Coordinator and did a lot of work with him and the organizations he advised because of my interest in Hispanic/Latin culture. One time, while chatting in his office, a student came in and said there were some people walking around campus dressed in large sombreros and panchos. He went out to investigate while I went to class. They were thinking this was some sort of frat hazing, but they found out it was 3 guys from a Christian group advertising a talk about, "The Three Amigos - Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost." If it had been hazing, my friend probably would have raised a small stink about it, but these guys got a small lecture on making sure they were being respectful of the culture while doing what they were doing. Later that night, however, I went over to his house for dinner dressed in a large sombrero, Mexican blanket, etc. When he answered the door, I asked (heavily accented), "Did chu catch those pendejos making fun of la Raza?" And I did that knowing that we got each others' senses of humor, and I was tweaking him. He cracked up over it. But someone seeing that from, "the outside," could very misconstrue what was going on.

So short story long, it depends.

TlalocW

HappyMe

(20,277 posts)
43. I really don't know.
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 02:07 PM
Dec 2012

Has Serena made any statement along those lines?

From the other posts in this thread, it appears the 2 women are friends. If SW is offended, then I'm quite sure she will take it up with CW.

ecstatic

(32,727 posts)
47. This is tough. It's inappropriate because you should never
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 09:56 PM
Dec 2012

joke about another woman's body, no matter how confident she is or should be. We all have our insecurities and a true friend wouldn't do that.

However, Serena has a body that many women would love to have. Google butt lift, butt injections, or breast implants.

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