Serena Williams once made an important point about healthcare in the United States after her own near-death experience while giving birth. The former World No. 1 issued a stern warning emphasizing how important it was for women to take matters into their own hands.
Williams gave birth to her and husband Alexis Ohanian’s first daughter Olympia, in September 2017. However, the experience was far from ideal, as the 23-time Grand Slam champion had to be rushed for an emergency C-section and then undergo surgeries to treat a life-threatening pulmonary embolism and a large hematoma in her abdomen.
After “almost dying” while giving birth, Serena Williams raised alarm about doctors’ tendency to overlook women’s problems. In a 2018 interview with the BBC, the former World No. 1 asserted that women needed to advocate for themselves and become more comfortable with speaking up about uncomfortable issues.
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"Doctors aren't listening to us, just to be quite frank. It may be time for women to be comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations," she said.
The American also made sure to acknowledge that she was in a privileged situation compared to other Black women in the United States, who were three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy or childbirth complications.
"I was in a really fortunate situation where I know my body well, and I am who I am, and I told the doctor: 'I don't feel right, something's wrong.' She immediately listened. She was great. I had a wonderful, wonderful doctor. Unfortunately a lot of African Americans and black people don't have the same experience that I've had," Williams.
"Because of what I went through, it would be really difficult if I didn't have the healthcare that I have - and to imagine all the other women that do go through that without the same healthcare, without the same response, it's upsetting," she added.
Serena Williams further emphasized that the "pre-judging" and prejudice that Black women had to face when attempting to access healthcare needed to be addressed on an urgent basis.
"I can't say that's it not time to get feisty" - Serena Williams on urging women to demand equal treatment
In the same interview, Serena Williams urged women to "get feisty" and demand fair treatment and equal pay to men even if those conversations didn't come easy.
"I can't say that's it not time to get feisty. I think maybe it is. You have to stand up and, I heard someone say, have conversations that aren't comfortable. Be comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations like we deserve to be paid what a guy does; we deserve to be treated fairly, the same way," Serena Williams said.
Williams made the remarks ahead of her highly anticipated return to the WTA tour at the 2018 Indian Wells Open, six months after her difficult childbirth experience. The 23-time Grand Slam champion reached the third round of the event before suffering a 6-3, 6-4 loss to her sister Venus Williams.
Although she faced several such early exits in her initial tournaments, Serena Williams reached the Wimbledon final that same year but ultimately fell short against Angelique Kerber. The former World No. 1's husband Alexis Ohanian penned a proud message for his wife amid her impressive run at SW19.
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