On first glance, I was not in love with the black catsuit Serena Williams wore to the French Open this year. It was her first appearance at one of the majors since the 2017 Australian Open (which she won), and Serena had been through a lot physically and emotionally with her pregnancy, Olympia’s birth and trying to make some kind of comeback. Serena explained the catsuit as being “Wakanda-inspired” and she kept talking about how it made her feel powerful. I grew to love the catsuit when I learned that it was specially designed for the blood circulation in Serena’s legs, since she has a history of major clotting issues. The catsuit was about more than “a look” – its functionality and medical necessity made it more than a mere fashion choice. Well, the president of the French Tennis Federation has a problem with all of that. He’s decided to introduce a dress code at the French Open, and he sounds like a major bitch.
Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open when she was nearly two months pregnant, and she gave birth to a daughter last year. But the birth was followed by a six-day medical crisis in which Williams suffered blood clots in her lungs, and she says she nearly died. So like any good superhero costume, Williams’ black Nike catsuit was functional.
“I’ve had a lot of problems with my blood clots, God I don’t know how many I’ve had in the past 12 months,” she said at the May news conference. “I’ve been wearing pants in general a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going.”
But in an interview with Tennis magazine, French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli reportedly said the tournament would be introducing a dress code.
“I think that sometimes we’ve gone too far. Serena’s outfit this year, for example, would no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place.”
If it sounds like a prissy old white dude is getting his panties in a bunch about a catsuit, that’s exactly what’s happening. I’m really bothered by the way he casually believes it’s 100% okay for him to police a black woman’s body like this. And the fact that the catsuit had a true function and medical necessity makes it that much worse.
For what it’s worth, Serena was doing press ahead of the US Open this weekend and she was asked about Giudicelli’s comments. She downplayed the whole thing, saying: “I think that obviously, the Grand Slams have a right to do what they want to do. I feel like if and when, or if they know that some things are for health reasons, then there’s no way that they wouldn’t be okay with it. So I think it’s fine. The president of the French Federation, he’s been really amazing. He’s been so easy to talk to. My whole team is basically French, so, yeah, we have a wonderful relationship.” This is the polite version of Serena pulling rank and telling the French Federation that she’s going to wear whatever she needs to wear for medical purposes and if they don’t like it, they can kiss her ass.
Tennis peeps were mad though. Nike, Billie Jean King and Andy Roddick (who is honestly one of Serena’s biggest cheerleaders) all had sh-t to say.
This is so dumb and shortsighted it hurts. Sometimes it’d be nice if the sport got out of its own way. https://t.co/As85ymSiFK
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) August 25, 2018
The policing of women’s bodies must end. The “respect” that’s needed is for the exceptional talent @serenawilliams brings to the game. Criticizing what she wears to work is where the true disrespect lies. https://t.co/ioyP9VTCxM
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) August 25, 2018
You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers. #justdoit pic.twitter.com/dDB6D9nzaD
— Nike (@Nike) August 25, 2018
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
2018 and men still believe they are entitled to control women’s body.
Want to get lots of free publicity for your tournament? Say something negative about your sport’s most loved player.
This is such an obvious stunt.
ugh. Serena is a superstar because they keep coming after her trying to minimize her ever chance they get.
Workplaces have the right to tell you what to wear. So BJKs out of touch. This is about getting Serena out of the game. They couldn’t get her on drugs so they are going to make it difficult for her to manage her health on the court. Not prejudiced at all
What Nike said.
Ditto. I love their statement
Me too. If they made a poster of that, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Yep. And I need some of those pants for my circulation, too. Severe blood clot history…ugh.
I blew past that post initially and scrolled back up after reading your comment…and YES! Thanks for pointing that out
There is a video where Serena commended the necklace worn by a girl. The little girl said she wears it just for Serena and her reaction was priceless.
I’m a little baffled here considering her bodysuit is not only medically necessary but much less revealing/”disrespectful” than … what? Prancing about in a white pleated miniskirt?
How tempting would it be to ask Nike to design a “banana skirt” a la Josephine Baker (a woman who truly did not GAF) and wear that over the catsuit. You want a skirt because you think my outfit is indecent? Eff you, here’s your effing skirt!
Lol exactly — “here’s my fig leaf!”
yeah that was my thoughts. Put a dang scarf around her waist and continue to wear what she wants. I hate that its 2018 and this is happening.
That quote from Nike literally gave me goosebumps. And I’m not even a huge Serena fan (Venus all day every day).
Me too. I LOVE Venus & Lindsay Davenport. I admire Serena.
This infuriating. Perhaps she’s already talked to him and said I won’t make this a bigger deal if there are medical exceptions which is nice. She doesn’t have to be the person who fights with everyone all the time. However it’s still infuriating that this French President found pants to be disrespectful. I wonder if he would have found it disrespectful on a man??
Dumb reasoning to ban a piece of clothing because there was nothing wrong with the outfit BUT I’d like to point out that she didn’t wear the full-on French Open catsuit at Wimbledon or the next two tournaments she played. She actually wore flesh coloured compression suit underneath her outfits so she wasn’t forced to go without a medical necessity.
So she should basically wear a double layer of clothes to play because an old white dude can’t handle a black woman with curves? He needs to GTFO Serena’s lawn. RIGHT. NOW.
Isn’t it their job to have dress codes? I don’t know; I’m asking. I get that they’re asking in crappy, controlling way, though.
So her outfit is basically fancy Jobst stockings? Neat!
How was a woman covered head to toe “inappropriate?” Because it was tight? Bitch, please.
Very disrespectful and assinine. She looks great in her outfit never mind it has a medical function. I suspect the backlash will smack them very hard in the face and there will be a change of heart.
Its a sports outfit. Its not like she is in costume. Men in tennis can wear anything, but women have to go to the court in practically bra and panties….
Oh, brother.
Chris Evert also came out in support of Serena. I love that the women have her back. And I hate that this old white dude thinks his policing of her body is acceptable. I’ve been reading about all the gross dress code issues with kids going back to school, the majority of which are basically “Hey girls, we’re going to tell you what to wear because it’s your responsibility to keep the boys from being distracted.” Pretty much one short step away from rape culture telling women they were asking for it because they wore a tank top.
I am curious to hear this man’s explanation for the crotch shots of the cameras with which the female players are dealing with for ages now. Why do female athletes have to show their respect for a sport by having their bodies sexualised?
Right? There is not a thing wrong with what Serena wore,. My daughter ran cross country and indoor track and hated that the girls were required to wear what were basically bathing suit bottoms while the boys wore regular running shorts usually with longer compression underwear underneath so as not to be too revealing. She personally didn’t like feeling that exposed and wanted to wear regular running shorts and brought it up to her coach, who replied that wearing those “shorts” helped them run faster. Her response was, “then why don’t the boys have to wear them?” There was also a big deal when a Muslim girl on my daughter’s team wanted to wear tights to cover her legs and a long sleeve compression shirt under her singlet. She was at first disqualified but then allowed to wear what she wanted and able to compete. You can’t win.
Yay for your daughter speaking up for her rights! I always wondered about track clothing, that is, why it was mandatory for young women to wear “bathing suit” bottoms. THEY should be able to choose what is most comfortable for them to perform in if it’s THEIR times being affected (a B.S. excuse from her coach if I ever heard one). The focus should be on the race instead of the clothing.
In other sports there are variations made to the uniform: some players like the longer shorts, some prefer shorter ones that don’t flap around their thighs and knees (NBA/WNBA); some prefer jogger pants, others like the traditional kneecap length knickers (MLB); some wear long shorts that stop above the knee, others prefer knickers that cover the knee and don’t ride up over pads (NFL). Additionally, in each of these leagues athletes can wear whatever compression garment they want underneath their uni.
However, these examples are of professional (for profit) sports and that may be the difference. When you have a body of people running a sport, such as the USTA or USTFA, maybe their dress codes are voted on (I’m guessing) by many, so you have to please everyone… except the athlete.
Wow, what your daughter has gone through is making me see red. When I was in high school (graduated in 2001), my volleyball team made the switch from short gym shorts to spandex shorts. I was against it at first, but the spandex were long (mid-thigh) and actually provided MORE coverage and it was easier to play. However, now the spandex shorts are shorter than heck and I do not see how it helps. You can’t properly dive if you’re worried about your crotch becoming exposed. And you can’t run “faster” if you’re insecure about your athletic wear. Your daughter’s coach needs to get a grip.
What is this, Wimbledon c1985 and Anne White’s bodysuit? Liked her response back then when it was banned after the first day as a “wardrobe malfunction”.
“I’m a little aggravated I couldn’t wear it today. But it’s their tournament and I don’t want to do anything to upset them or hurt their feelings. I mean, I don’t want people spilling their strawberries and cream because of me.”
Women’s tennis has always been a mess when it comes to outfits. I don’t see how her FO outfit is any more revealing than the ones who wear barely there mini skirts. And why are they making women who have to run around a court wear a skirt anyway? It’s stupid. It’s like making track stars wear skirts during the races. So incredibly sexist. It would be more logical to have them wear shorts like men.
I don ‘t think women should be required to wear tennis skirts instead of shorts. However, tennis skirts are more comfortable than shorts for most women. There’s more freedom of movement. I’m sure Serena would prefer to wear them, just can’t do it with her health issues.
It’s true, skirts are way more comfortable, and so are the “tank tops” that women use. The skirt is a combined skirt and shorts garment, so that there won’t be any accidental “flashes”. Men have to use t-shirts, which sometimes can prevent range of movement. You see some male players “pulling up” the shirt on the shoulders before serving. That shows that shirts are more uncomfortable/restricting than tank tops, where shoulders are free. If anything, women have way more comfortable/unrestricting clothes than men and I doubt anyone of them would choose to dress differently.
I’ve read that other tournaments have dress codes that would have disallowed this outfit preemptively. Is that true? Can she just add a skirt over it to make it fit the requirements? That way her health is still protected? I’ve always thought athletes ought to wear what ever helps them perform best. I don’t get the dress codes.
I’m sorry, but I don’t feel this outrage at all. Tennis has rules for clothing, which apply for both genders. For example wimbledon requires white clothing and several male players have been reprimanded for not wearing white (enough) clothing. Clothing has also been an issue in swimming, where these whole bodysuits with aerodynamic benefits were questioned. If a tennis player is so ill, that he/she can’t play without risk of blood clogging during a match, maybe that person is not up for the sport at all (at this specific moment). If a male player decided to show up at roland garros in a whole body suit similar to Serena’s, I can assure you that he wouldn’t get a pass. And before you all cry out about feminism; tennis is actually one of the very few sports where gender is considered (women play only three sets where as men play five). Athlete’s are in general are allowed to use all kind of “help garments” (can’t find a better word) i.e., pressure stockings, kinetic tejp etc, but not during competition. It even applies for horses, who must be without help garment during competition (only allowed during warm up). Riders need to follow clothing rules (white trousers, black jacket, hat, white gloves), if not, they will be disqualified (not only reprimanded).
I sincerely hope if you ever have a medical condition or disability (or have a child or family member who does) that requires exceptions to be made one way or another…that those around you are much less ignorant and much more understanding than you have been.
She played several tournaments since then with the body suit and seems to be fine. I don’t like the ban but let’s not pretend that outfit is a medically NECESSARY
@Nickname – how do you know? Are you her doctor?
I’m eager to know where I can watch these horses playing tennis? 😀
LOL, Jay. Made my day, thank you!
You need to educate yourself about thrombophilia. She is not ill. Her catsuit is likely a compression garment that prevents her blood from pooling in the veins of her lower extremities. Should someone with impaired eyesight be prevented from wearing corrective lenses during competition?
Line I see your point. It seems like a white bodysuit with skirt attached would fit the bill, protect her health, and not be anymore restrictive or hot than the suit pictured. Or a regular tennis outfit with white or flesh (allowing for all flesh tones) compression tights under. If other tournaments have dress codes I don’t see why the French Open can’t add one.
I really don’t know what to think about this blood clot situation, for real. I am torn since I just read about Isaiah (forgot his last name), the basketball player who is a carrier of the Marfan syndrome, and is not allowed to play in the NBA professionally. HE could sign a waiver, but the NBA could potentially be sued even then, face backlash or have a bad situation for the public and everyone involved if, fulfilling Isaiah’s dream of playing in the league, he went to suffer rupture of his aorta. Very dear members of my family suffer Marfan, and I pray they lead longer lives than their grandparents and uncles/aunts. I admire him even more as he is legally blind in one eye as I am, too, and he still is a great basketball player!.
For real, if Serena has a condition like this, that is dangerous, I am torn saying she should play when she has already achieved her early dreams, has a small child and can retire as a millionaire and an admirable woman who is already an example for so many.
I do think the dress code could change, but they have to prevent the ramifications this could lead to, since it is an individual sport and so much money can be made out of outfits and brands, it is not only the rules at play. Maybe Serena can adapt the outfits to the rules of the tournament. I bet she could, bt at the same time. She need not to risk herself necessarily, she does not need to prove anyone anymore, and I say it as a mom of a baby her girl’s age. She is trying to help moms everywhere, she can do that even if she is retired from tennis, she will be successful in mostly anything she embarks on, she’s a winner.
@ennie… I share a propensity for p.e.’s with Serena. I am very active, tall, and muscular in build. When I got mine in both lungs doctors told me I could die at any moment – very scary – but with the proper meds (anticoagulants) and wearing compression hosiery, especially while flying because of sitting for long periods (which I do often), the p.e.’s dissolved. I sure wish Serena the best. Hopefully, as long as she stays on top of her health issues (which surely she does), she’ll be fine. As for her catsuit, sadly, because the people in power make the rules, she’ll have to make accommodations by wearing a skin-matching compression garment on her lower body since rules won’t be changed for one player… even if she is the very gracious GOAT. I’m not sure her love of tennis will allow her to give up this sport just yet. IF she decides to have a second child the decision would be easier, but not now… tennis is too much a part of her being.
@Line. I agree with several of your points.
For me, I do think accommodations based on medical need are a good idea as long as medical documentation for an accommodation is provided.) But for a sport that, right or wrong typically does have dress codes for men and women though, I’m not sure when medical clothing is involved, the accommodation should always be whatever the athlete prefers. The catch here though is it sounds like an after-the-fact dress code is being developed by the FO.
I am reminded of figure skating here. Perhaps Giudicelli should talk to the ISU (he reminds me of Didier Gailhaguet a lot, in many ways). Prominent women who liked to wear bodysuits in figure skating (and were often prevented from doing so) include Debi Thomas and Surya Bonaly. Hmm.
The swimsuits were an issue because it was believed they were providing an unfair advantage to the swimmer, not because of how they looked. Not remotely close to this situation.
There was no rule in place. They made it months later and specifically referenced Serena, calling the outfit disrespectful. But Nadal’s 5+ years of pirate garb were apparently just fine. It’s not about tradition. It’s about an old man feeling like he’s entitled to police a black woman’s body. He’s about to learn the hard way that he is not. Old racists need to go.
I am not a tennis fan. I am not a massive fan of the Williams sisters (mostly because I don’t care about sport). I don’t give a damn if the suit helps her or not (well…it is cool as hell, tbh, and I am now researching the weave of the texiles used). This **** *** *******(!!!) can go baste in the sewers! She looks appropriately dressed, like the TOTAL dominating badass that she is, and if I hear one more PERVERT telling women what is and isn’t appropriate for their bodies, I am going to have a stroke. Done done done with women being told how to look or present, ESPECIALLY this goddess. She is an absolute gem, a national treasure, and a human marvel. How is it not possible for this woman to get through a single effing season without some (white) jackass telling her what to say, how to dress, how to ****ing PLAY.
*rage quit*
So dress code is short skirts that sometimes flashes the booty, but pants are unacceptable. This is just a-hole men trying to keep a powerful woman down. Respecting the game is focusing on the game, not a woman who wears pants as a medical necessity.
Exactly. All I hear is waa waa waa I want to see bare legs in mini skirts, waa waa male gaze
Thanks Nike.
Had a female family member post something along the lines of “bend over and each for the sky anything shows go change your clothes” and I really wanted to say “why afraid your husband won’t be able to control himself?”(he cheated with the nanny) People blinded by the patriarchy male and female are all decking miserable louts and ultimately get their commuppance
Nike wins the internet today. What an amazing tribute to an amazing woman!
I’m sick of France telling people how to dress.