Sister Act VI: Venus and Serena Williams at Indian Wells: “Sincere Fictions” and White Racism

Abstract

Venus and Serena Williams’ dominance of professional women’s tennis at the dawn of the 21st century may well signify progress in a sport that typically privileges Whiteness. What happened at Indian Wells, California, in the spring of 2001 suggests otherwise. After advancing to the semifinals where they were scheduled to meet, Venus defaulted to Serena and thus incurred the wrath of fans at Indian Wells. Two days later, when Venus and her father Richard entered the stadium to watch Serena play, they encountered boos and racist epithets. Similar to other “racialized incidents” that occurred in the United States during the 1990s, the episode at Indian Wells signals the continuance of racism in the new millennium. Although contemporary terms have shifted from “scientific racism” to “cultural racism” and “commodity racism,” the underlying dynamics of White racism persist.

That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore: Racial Microaggressions, Color-Blind Ideology and the Mitigation of Racism in English Men’s First-Class Cricket

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