GQ has named Serena Williams their woman of the year. GQ’s men of the year are Michael B. Jordan, Jonah Hill and Henry Golding. I approve of all these choices? And as a Serena Stan, I appreciate that they not only named her Woman of the Year but they also labeled her “Champion of the Year.” Serena’s cover story gets released on Thursday, but here’s a taste from GQ:
No matter how you cut it, Serena Williams had a remarkable year. Jeanne-Marie Laskas visits the G.O.A.T. at her Florida home to hear about the U.S. Open moment heard around the world, along with Serena’s plans for the future, her thoughts on Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court appointment, and what it’s like to be a black woman in America in 2018. All that, plus GQ worked up a special surprise cover collaboration with Virgil Abloh—the Off-White designer behind her coolest on-court looks in 2018—featuring his signature quotation marks in his own handwriting.
Just FYI: I wasn’t really in love with the Virgil Abloh-Nike collaboration. That collab brought us the lilac and black tutus at the US Open. Serena looked like a magnificently deranged ballerina, out there destroying everyone but Naomi Osaka on court.
Anyway, for those people (HATERS) who are like “what’s the big f–king deal, what did Serena even do?” Um… she came back just months after an incredibly complicated and life-threatening delivery of her first child and tried to win. She showed vulnerability on the court and off, in a popular docu-series on HBO. She made the finals of two Slams within 53 weeks post-birth. And she did it all while still dealing with some of the most racist and sexist bullsh-t.
Also, there’s some low-key drama online about GQ’s use of quotation marks around “woman” on the cover. Apparently, there’s a reason for it – it’s a Virgil Abloh thing. But GQ’s editor should have caught that sh-t and realized that it was wrong to even open up that can of bullsh-t worms. There’s also some low-key drama about Serena going sans pants on the cover. On that one, I give GQ a pass. Serena LOVES to show off them thighs in magazine editorials, as is her right. Personally, I love her thighs. She’s so powerful, and that’s what I see – a beautiful, powerful athlete who is proud of her body.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red, and cover courtesy of GQ.
Congratulations, Serena.
The styling is a big no.
The thighs are fine I hate actually how her hair is done.
It’s a wig. But what style would you recommend?
Ponytail to draw the eyes to her face
My Queen. It’s been a hard year for Black women but women like Serena, Beyoncé, MObama and Oprah been making me proud.
Also take a break from putting Meghan and Kate together to cover Michelle Obama’s book tour
YAAAASSS! Preach.
Congrats to Serena. Well deserved. So muhbhate on my girl but she pushes through. Dont know how she does it. Still i rise, as Maya Angelou stated. Glad they didnt airbrush her thighs…they look like mine except mine have cellulite hahaha. Fit girl. I love her. I hate to even say this but someone just needs to save her from her eyebrow stylist.
Hate the “woman” thing.
Not knowing who Virgil Ablob is it looks incredibly offensive in the context of all the abuse Serena has received through the years over her physicality.
ETA also crossing out men makes woman look like an afterthought.
Terrible cover.
I hate it too. And apart from the nasty can of worms it feeds to the Serena abusers out there, it looks an unholy and unprofessional mess.
Congrats to Serena but shame on the lack of joined-up thinking as far as the cover was concerned. She deserves better.
I agree. I’m so used to certain men feeling like they are being forced to embrace women in recent years, and the crossed out men/woman in quotations reminds me of them. It totally strikes as condescending to me.
She looks gorgeous, that’s the only good thing I have to say about the cover.
@Steff I completely agree. She looks great.
There are still so many men that feel like empowering women is taking away their “rightful place” as the ones to be lauded and served by women.
It is extremely funny to me because men think of themselves as the “breadwinners” when the percentage of women who have gotten away with being “kept women” who do no work and are only served and coddled is pretty nonexistant in the history of the world. smh.
Lol at “magnificently deranged ballerina.” I didn’t mind the black tutu ensemble that much.
She looks fierce in that cover shot, love her.
Here in Brooklyn, there were so many Serena’s for Halloween!
I am glad that girls got a new iconic look to emulate. I thought Serena looked badass in the tutu dresses.
Wow! I love Serena and I may buy a magazine. Seriously, what a warrior.
I really like Serena`s cover photo. I love the leotard and the Chanel belt, also that the “pelvis jewellery” emphasizes her womanhood, so to speak. And it`s sexy and powerful. I think she looks great.
The quotation marks around “woman” are a mistake by the editors. Noone pays attention to the Serena collaboration with Virgil. All the do looking at the cover writing is snicker and think ” ohh another good joke about Serena, yeah, she IS a gorilla, she IS a manly woman, har har so funny.” This is insidious emotional abuse.
When the cartoon of “tantruming” Serena came out earlier this year the comment writers in my country were having a field day with racist, sexist and all other kinds of -ist remarks. It made me angry because I have experienced that kind of abuse firsthand.
So, yes, the cover is a resounding NO.
But she looks great in the photo.
Congrats Serena! She looks formidable and so amazonish in a superhero kind of way.