Tennis icon Serena Williams has dismissed speculation that she bleaches her skin, following a viral video that sparked online debate.
During an Instagram Live session on Monday, the 43-year-old addressed the rumors while walking fans through her makeup routine.
Responding directly to critics, Williams stated, “And no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin.”
She attributed the perceived difference in her skin tone to lighting and stage makeup she had worn while volunteering at her daughter Olympia’s school play.
“There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors,” Williams explained.
She emphasized her pride in her identity, saying, “I’m a dark Black woman, and I love who I am and how I look. That’s just not my thing.”
While firmly denying the allegations, she acknowledged that skin-lightening practices are a personal choice for some: “If people do it, that’s their thing, and they have every opportunity, and they should. I don’t judge. But no, I actually don’t bleach my skin. So can we just kind of clear that up?”
The video that ignited the rumors showed Williams with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, volunteering at Olympia’s school play.
Comments flooded social media, with some speculating that her lighter appearance was due to chemical peels or makeup, while others defended her, attributing the change to lighting or the absence of extended sun exposure following her retirement.
“She’s retired from playing tennis in the sun, 12 hours a day. People are so weird and stupid,” one supporter wrote.
Another added, “She ain’t bleaching; she just doesn’t know how to do her makeup.”
Williams also pointed out that her golden bathroom wallpaper and lighting can sometimes alter the way her skin tone appears in photos and videos.
Williams, who turned 43 in September, has been retired from professional tennis since her final appearance at the 2022 US Open.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, she boasts an illustrious career with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, just one shy of Margaret Court’s record of 24.
Despite stepping away from the court, Williams remains an active presence in the public eye, attending events and sharing glimpses of her life with her husband and their two daughters, Olympia and Adira.
Her return to the US Open as a fan in September was a nostalgic moment, with Williams donning a throwback denim skirt reminiscent of her playing days.
