In Serena Williams' interview from The Black List Project, she describes herself as the most underestimated 8-time Grand Slam champion to ever exist, questioning why her critics immediately accuse her of "overpowering" her opponents because of her sheer physicality, instead of crediting her with being a sound, mentally strategic player.
Williams' statement sparked a curiosity in me because at that moment, I realized that Serena's athletic performance is often overshadowed by her physical presence on and off of the tennis court, and is even more often, disconnected from her brilliance as an intelligent, opportunistic player. This example illustrates a type of gaze that guises itself as spectatorship. If we can "read" the body in visual art, performance, and fashion, is it possible to do so in the realm of sports?
It is undeniable that certain aesthetic "standards" for black bodies, especially in sports, are constantly produced and reproduced. Check out the Nike Basketball commercial below and think about the ways in which the body is presented and even aestheticized for athletic display. Comments are most certainly welcome.
Image: Hank Willis Thomas, Scarred Chest, 2004.
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