Tennis icon Serena Williams has addressed recent accusations that she has been lightening her skin, sending a firm message to the online critics.
‘It is simply my natural skin tone’
The 43-year-old athlete took to Instagram earlier this week to promote her makeup brand, Wyn Beauty, while speaking directly to her 17.3 million followers. During the video, she applied her concealer and clarified that it was simply her natural skin tone.
She continued, stating, “And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin. There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors.” Williams also explained that she doesn’t “post and recorrect” her pictures, further emphasizing her message.
Serena Williams responds to viral video
Serena Williams also responded to a viral video that had sparked negative comments about her appearance. The video, where she was seen with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, 40, volunteering for their daughter Olympia’s school play, drew unwanted attention regarding her skin color. Williams revealed that she had been wearing “stage makeup” for the event and expressed frustration at the accusations.
She further clarified that while people are free to make their own choices about their appearance, she doesn’t judge others. “If people do it, that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity, and they should. I don’t judge, but you guys do. But that’s what this world is about, and I stay in my lane, the non-judgey one.”
Video claims Serena Williams skin appears lighter
The video had prompted accusations from trolls who claimed that Williams’ skin appeared lighter and suggested she was using chemical peels. Support for Williams poured in from others who defended her. “Serena isn’t bleaching her skin, she isn’t white-washed, stop projecting your hatred onto people you don’t know, especially because they have a white spouse,” one user wrote. Another commented, “It was clearly a combination of makeup and lighting.”
Many social media users expressed their admiration for the 39-time Grand Slam champion, with one saying, “Serena is not bleaching. Your skin changes as you get older—if you look at your aunts and moms, you would know that. Leave this un-problematic woman alone.”
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