Serena Williams said bluntly: It's not fair. Male athletes don't have to make the same choices.
But after her pioneering career that transformed and transcended her sport, Williams, who turns 41 next month, will soon be stepping away from tennis to welcome her second child and daughter. I told the world that I would devote myself to making money. Olympia, older sister. Her description in her lengthy Vogue essay resonated with women in sports and far beyond. And no, you can't really have it all — at least you can't have it all at the same time. noted that she looked superhuman. But Sherry Randolph, even ordinary women, is expected to combine work and motherhood seamlessly.
A history professor at Georgia Tech and a Black African-American
"But for most women, it's not really proven," she said. "The bottom line is that working mothers are exhausted and overworked trying to perform at the highest level of two demanding jobs: motherhood and the profession." Randolph, as if to prove her point. 's 4-year-old son constantly interrupted her thoughts about Williams' decision when she tried to discuss it over the phone.
In describing how her daughter wanted to be her big sister, Williams said she didn't want to get pregnant again as an athlete.
"Believe me," her 23-time Grand Slam champion also wrote: I don't think it's fair. If I were a man, I wouldn't have written this because I would have won by playing outside while my wife did manual labor to expand our family. I could be Brady," she said, referring to the recently retired 45-year-old superstar quarterback who reversed the decision after 40 days. Women reflected on their painful choices in the name of "getting it all".
"Even as a woman sitting at her desk, unburdened by the work in front of her, she finds herself seared and separated from her career and her family." I could feel it,” Joe said. McKinney, 57,Advertising Executive in New York
"I got goosebumps reading Selina's article because she's what so many of us feel and say. It's not fair, it means you have to give something."
Such a dilemma would be exacerbated in sports, according to Washington's prominent employers. Says Lisa Banks, an attorney who specializes in both gender and sports cases.
You can have it all, but if you're pregnant, you're at the same level at the same time. You can get it. No, you miss some time, you miss a workout. You are inevitably at a disadvantage.
This problem is vividly illustrated in athletics. US sprinters Allyson Felix and Alicia Montano became advocates for their mothers when they split with Nike over a contract clause that cut their pay during pregnancy.
Her Sanya Richards-Ross, a four-time Olympic champion sprinter, retired after the 2016 Olympics and her husband and former NFL defensive Aaron Her Ross and built a family.
"She always knew she didn't want to have her family while she was competing," she says. “I think being an athlete is the most selfish role because it's always all about you. Rest, recovery, training. I am against it.”
Of Williams' decision, she said: Male counterparts are not.
Long-distance runner Kara Goocher has also experienced battles over her paycheck while pregnant, and people are starting to realize the problem, she says, and her career has lasted. increase. However, she added: Why it can be done. Because someone else is taking care of the child. That's not the way mothers do it. "
Like Williams when she won the Australian Open in 2017, the beach her volleyball player Kerry Walsh her Jennings was just pregnant when she won gold in London in 2012. was.
"At some point, I think you have to make that choice," she said. "At the end of the day, it's very clear that the clock is ticking. Being a mom usually wins."
But Walsh Jennings believes Williams will build her legacy. We hope to continue. , who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, retired at age 34 and had a family two years later. "It's not something I've experienced about motherhood and a tennis career," she said in her email message. “I chose to spend every second with my children. It was my choice, but it may not be the right choice for everyone.
"I think now is the right time when it comes to Serena," Ebert said. “She has squeezed everything she can out of her game. Beyond tennis, she has become a leader on many important cultural, social and gender issues. It will undoubtedly continue to break the glass ceiling.”
One thing is clear: the US Open will be a big draw after Williams has heavily hinted at retirement. Ticket sales soared on Monday, said Kirsten Corio, chief commercial officer of the US Tennis Association.
Corio, who is also a mother of her two children, said of Williams' announcement:
"As a sports fan and a working mother, I have a lot of emotions to process," she said. "The only emotion I can summarize is really, just gratitude."[59][60]Dearika Humby was also full of her gratitude. Williams said the Las Vegas ace WNBA player "was a role model for many of us, especially mothers, to be able to compete at such a high level." The 19-year-old Amaya said the tennis star's decision was a difficult one — and she's been discussing it a lot with coaches and players lately. "It's the reality of the world we live in. Will men start having children? It's the harsh reality of the world."
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AP writers Maryclaire Dale, Howard Fendrich, Eddie Pells, and Willie Ramirez contributed to this report.