Serena Williams is pictured on the awning of the Dec. 21 affair of Sports Illustrated as the Sportsperson of the Year.(Photo: Photo address of Sports Illustrated)
She’s draped over a aureate throne, an bend aptitude on one of its gilded accoutrements while a sculpted leg rests on the other.
Those legs assume to go on forever, catastrophe in 6-inch stiletto heels. Her lacy, skin-tight cat clothing leotard is arduous and black, with able pieces of argent emphasis jewelry.
Her face is affected by cascades of bright atramentous beard that alone accentuate her announcement — powerful and unyielding, assured and unflinching.
“There’s no catechism actuality — she’s cardinal the kingdom,” said Carol Howe-Veenstra, 62, who has been complex with women’s contest for added than four decades. “She’s got that look: You got a question?”
Yes, actually.
Several of them.
Because this is Serena Williams, Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Sportsperson of the Year.
This is the awning account on the Dec. 21 affair of the magazine, which announces the champ of the coveted award.
But if you aloof saw the photo afterwards the name of the advertisement on top, you ability not apperceive that. You ability anticipate somebody was activity clubbing.
“I don’t apperceive if they’d apperceive who it is, actually, afterwards her tennis stuff,” Sartell Aerial School girls basketball drillmaster Katie Martin said of her players’ acumen of the photo. “They ability anticipate it’s Beyonce.
“I get what she’s activity for. But if they’re highlighting you as the Sportsperson of the Year — yeah, you’re on a throne, but that’s the image?”
It's a accurate question, one that a lot of bodies (including me) had aback they aboriginal saw photo.
“There’s annihilation about her sport,” said Howe-Veenstra who retired beforehand this year afterwards about three decades as able-bodied administrator at the College of St. Benedict.
“I would like adolescent girls and boys to go, ‘OK, I ability put her up on my wall.’ Why? Because she’s got a nice body? Or because she’s queen of the court?”
(Photo: Supplied photo)
Is this a ability picture, or alone a assiduity of a bifold accepted in the media’s presentation of changeable athletes?
Honestly, I can’t decide. Maybe it’s both. There are a lot of means to attending at this.
My aboriginal three reactions:
“It’s gorgeous,” Howe-Veenstra said. “And she still looks strong, and in charge.”
“It’s not what I would accept to wear,” laughed Martin, 32, who actually is nine months abundant (due date: Dec. 25). “It’s absolutely the picture.”
Obviously, Serena can. According to the accompanying story, the angel was her idea. SI was aloof accomplished with that, because va-va-voom charcoal a assisting business plan.
“The media appetite to portray our women (athletes) in a animal manner, because sex sells,” Howe-Veenstra said. “But if sex sells, why is our advantage alone 4 percent?”
“Obviously, they appetite to advertise magazines,” Martin said. “Who are they business to?”
Forty years afterwards the accomplishing of Title IX, we’re still accepting this conversation.
“Yes,” Howe-Veenstra said. “It’s frustrating.”
Serena is alone the third woman to win the accolade absolute aback its birth in 1954, and the aboriginal aback Mary Decker in 1983. She’s a agitating best afterwards assertive women’s tennis at 34, authoritative her the oldest amateur in the history of the action to be ranked No. 1 in the world.
But would a macho Sportsman of the Year do what basically amounts to a glam shot?
Would SI go with a anatomy photo for a macho winner, aback they’re activity with a absolutely amazon aspect for a changeable winner?
Michael Phelps, the 2008 recipient, airish shirtless on the cover. But he additionally had his eight Olympic gold medals blind about his neck.
“I looked aback at about the aftermost bristles or six (SI Sportsperson of the Year covers),” Martin said. “They’re all in a uniform, or captivation a basketball or whatever. She’s not.
“If you’re aggravating to highlight her as an athlete, that she’s had this amazing year, the photo I don’t anticipate captures that.”
The aboriginal changeable abandoned champ was addition tennis player, Chris Evert, in 1976. She was pictured in a blatant turn-of-the-century tennis dress: aerial collar, continued sleeves, floor-length skirt. The alone bark assuming was her face and hands.
Her photo acutely wasn’t antagonism attire. Serena’s acutely isn’t either.
“This is sex. This still is a affectation that’s not able-bodied at all,” Howe-Veenstra said. “It’s all Serena. Where’s the apparatus of the action that helps you body the affiliation to why she’s actuality honored?”
But there's addition way to appearance this photo, from a absolutely added accelerating angle point.
Maybe Serena's account is about ability and control, aplomb and self-assurance.
“I achievement they booty abroad a bulletin from it that she’s confident, like, ‘Hey, I can do this and still be (athletic),’ “ Martin said. “Because I anticipate girls attempt with that sometimes — I appetite to be good, but I additionally appetite to be girly.”
This is a absolute message, one that can advice move women's contest forward.
I can be a abundant amateur and still be feminine.
I can attending agitating afterwards actuality a admeasurement 2.
Power and aplomb are acceptable things, both on the cloister and in your claimed presentation.
“I like her face,” Howe-Veenstra said. “That’s her aggressive face, too. I’m abiding she directed a lot of how she capital to be portrayed.”
“She looks actual confident, obviously, and adequate with herself,” Martin said.
If that's what bodies see, again Serena's awning photo is added than aloof wowza.
“I anticipate a lot of changeable athletes are like, ‘I can be this acceptable athlete, and I can be this stud on the court, but aback I’m off of it I can additionally appearance my feminine side,’ “ Martin said. “Maybe that’s what she was activity for.”
“Love that look, adulation that bulletin — I rule,” Howe-Veenstra said. “Bring it. Bring it on.”
That's the bulletin Serena acutely advised to convey.
The bulletin that's received? Adjudge for yourself. I'm still not absolutely sure.
Contact Times columnist Dave DeLand at 255-8771 or by email at ddeland@stcloudtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @davedeland and on Facebook at Dave DeLand SC Times.
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