Serena Williams’ ‘GQ Woman of the Year’ Cover Sparks Controversy

Published: Wednesday 14th Nov 2018 by Rashad

Shortly after announcing actor Michael B. Jordan as the recipient of its coveted ‘Man of the Year’ title (click here to read), ‘GQ’ unveiled Serena Williams would be its ‘Woman of the Year.’

The tennis champion – whose year was highlighted by a bit of controversy after a devastating loss to Naomi Osaka at Flushing Meadows (where she called an umpire a “thief”) – saw the cover court a bit more controversy after fans mistook the intention of the mag’s typography.

Unsure of what we mean? Details inside:

Readers quickly noted when ‘Wonder Woman’ star Gal Gadot was crowned the mag’s ‘Woman of the Year’ last year there were no quotation marks around the word “woman.”  Yet, such couldn’t be said for Williams’ cover.  The blow comes as yet another perceived criticism on the 37-year-old’s physique (something’s that’s plagued most of her professional career).

CNN offered the following explanation for the typography, however:

…the typography was handwritten by designer Virgil Abloh, who uses quotation marks in his work. Abloh collaborated with Williams and Nike for the player’s US Open outfit which featured “Serena” in quotations on her trainers and “Logo” on her tutu dress.

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  1. Achooo! November 14, 2018

    Let them throw shade. Serena is the best black tennis player in the world. Greatness and success speaks for itself. Blacks are the originals and everyone else come thereafter

  2. Meme November 14, 2018

    I can see why this was perceived wrong but the graphics was designed by Virgil, who is black.

    • SMH November 14, 2018

      And that means what exactly?

  3. Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN da gay Asian’ Talking to Her and Being Obsessed With Her Every Damn Day November 14, 2018

    The Magazine”s Editor is to blame. That is the person who should have fixed the cover before it went to press.

    • SMH November 14, 2018

      Exactly, instead of offering that p*** poor BS excuse.

    • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iSlay & Tutor TROLLmine Rasputia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 14, 2018

      TROLLmine I’m digging Serena’s hair on this cover, what number is it? Honey you definitely need to rock that to your next Jehovah’s Witness convention!

  4. SkyRocket November 14, 2018

    Honestly, as long as Serena approved the cover and is happy that’s really all that matters

  5. Jasmine Da Bi Asian iSlay & Tutor TROLLmine Rasputia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 14, 2018

    The reasoning makes perfect sense to anyone with half a brain. I like the cover

  6. ~The Arcade~ November 14, 2018

    Shame on them smh

  7. StarXavi November 14, 2018

    Honestly if you read the explanation and if these fake outraged people did their research they would know that it was the theme of the artist and an ongoing theme Serena had already been a part of. I’m so tired of uninformed people getting mad over stupid shyt.

    • JOHNVIDAL November 14, 2018

      80% of people leaving comments on TGJ are stupid and ignorant.

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 14, 2018

        Shut up b|tch. I already limited your comments to sissy Mariah Carey posts since you claim to “only be here for the music”. Here you are again race baiting with your ugly Uncle Tom ass. Get the f.uck lost you self-hating nappy headed j******! You are still mad because everyone on TGJ knos you are black even though you try to keep it a secret.

    • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 14, 2018

      GQ should have known better, given the misogynistic and violent trans insults that Serena (and Venus) have dealt with for the last almost 20 years.

      To everyone saying this is a reach, you have to consider the context of Serena’s career and the way people have mocked and challenged her and Venus’s femininity because of their strength and athleticism.

      No one has a duty to read explanations, art themes, or research explanations. We are talking about the cover here and only that. Anything else besides looking at the cover is considered putting an extra duty on people which is complete nonsense. I hope the GQ Editor is fired for this! Period.

      • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iSlay & Tutor TROLLmine Rasputia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 14, 2018

        Stay in your lane TROLLmine. Look at you being the irrational, chemically imbalanced hermaphrodite all over TGJ to people who can’t handle your hermaphroditism… but I can do if you wanna y’all s**** girl(boy) do it like a real man(woman). Oh wait you’re a pusśy I forgot

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 14, 2018

        STAY in your lane F.AGGOT hermaphrodite. I don’t even know what a f.ucking hermaphrodite is. That is what the f.uck u are n|gga! I saw you spreading your toxic venom on that sissy ass Mariah “Glitter” post. You filled up half the comments on that post alone today:

        http://thatgrapejuice.net/2018/11/mariah-careys-glitter-rockets-into-itunes-top-10/

        Now your f.aggot ass wants to troll TGJ looking for the Royal Highness Rasputia comments so you can invade my comment box with your toxic venom. F.uck you F.AGGOT. Don’t say sh|t to me corny b|tch. I don’t be saying sh|t to you lately so STOP coming for me and STOP stalking my posts you F.AGGOT.

      • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iSlay & Tutor TROLLmine Rasputia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 14, 2018

        TROLLmine please.. don’t let all ur curse negate the fact you’re on the corner tonight in the freezing cold, tïttie out breast feeding your baby doll.. hush child

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 14, 2018

        Like I said F.AGGOT don’t say sh|t to me and I won’t say sh|t to u b|tch. Now f.uck u and f.uck. STAY OFF MY COMMENT BOX F.AG!

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 14, 2018

        F.UCK OFF F.AGGOT. STOP saying to sh|t to me and I wont say sh|t to u. U must be lonely. Always trynna talk to me when I aint got sh|t to say to u F.AGGOT!

      • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iBully TROLLmine Rasuptia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 15, 2018

        No girl(boy) I’m just putting you in your MÜTHAFUCKIN place like the ghetto, bald headed, cheap weave wearing, welfare recipient hermaphrodite CÛNT that you are. I will NOT take my foot off any of your 5 necks(chins) you fat disgusting, undesireable, dïldò marrying H&M cashier.. stay in your lane GIRL(boy)… on the corner… in New Jersey… brèast feeding your baby doll.

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 15, 2018

        F.UCK OFF F.AGGOT. STOP saying to sh|t to me and I wont say sh|t to u. U must be lonely. Always trynna talk to me when I aint got sh|t to say to u F.AGGOT! LONELY B|TCH WRITING TO ME OUT OF PURE LONELINESS YALL. NOBODY IN ITS BED EVER so it be on here spreading toxiv EVIL venom!!!!!!!!! I SAY “ITS” CAUSE IT IS CERTAINLY LESS THAN A MAN AND CERTAINLY NOT A WOMAN SO I CALL THAT THING IT.

      • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iBully TROLLmine Rasuptia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 15, 2018

        TROLLmine I’m like the ghost busters, except I bust trolls- like you. Whenever your girl side eggs your boy side on to act out in troll manner, i’ll Be there to YOKE YOUR AŠŚ UP girl(boy). My louboutin will remain on all 5 of your necks b*****.

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 15, 2018

        F.UCK OFF F.AGGOT. STOP saying to sh|t to me and I wont say sh|t to u. U must be lonely. Always trynna talk to me when I aint got sh|t to say to u F.AGGOT! LONELY B|TCH WRITING TO ME OUT OF PURE LONELINESS YALL. NOBODY IN ITS BED EVER so it be on here spreading toxiv EVIL venom!!!!!!!!! I SAY “ITS” CAUSE IT IS CERTAINLY LESS THAN A MAN AND CERTAINLY NOT A WOMAN SO I CALL THAT THING IT..

  8. Jasmine Da Bi Asian iBully TROLLmine Rasuptia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 15, 2018

    Hey guys and girls (separately not hermaphrodites) if any of you feel like Miss(Mr) TROLLmine Rasputia is bullying you just let me know. I have my 4” Louboutin ? on this fat hoès 5 necks(chins) and I’ve no problem putting it in its place for any and all of my TGJ warriors. This schizophrenic hermaphrodite is going around trying to bully folks on here but I’m here to block any and all of this trolls attempts.. kind of like the hormone blockers it takes because it’s hermaphrodite.. #BLOCKEDT

    • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 15, 2018

      N|gga just cause u squeeze ur size 11 mens feet into Payless women’s shoes with red bottoms don’t make em louboutins and it don’t make u a b|tch cause u are a MAN. U ARE GUTTER TRASH THAT IS OBSESSED WITH ALL THINGS ROYAL HIGNESS RASPUTIA. Bow Down MÜTHAFUCKIN F.AGGOT. You are a F.Ucking LIE!!!!!

      1) I am not a bully nor am I a hermaphrodite. I am all woman and you are SEETHING MAD cause u aint a woman n|gga.

      2) U are the crazy schizophrenic because you TROLL TGJ 24/7 looking for people like me to attack. NOBODY give a f.uck what u got to say n|gga cause u ALWAYS OFF-f.ucking-Topic and u really ain’t saying nothing but SISSY f.aggoty sh|t nobody give a f.uck about like what Mariah wearing and doing (who give a sh|t?).

      3) U are the bully not me u vile F.AGGOT BULLY. Look how you constantly call me a hermaphrodite when u are a man in a dress squeezing into goodwill clothes, payless womens shoes, and cheap yacky yacky dollar store wigs!!!!

      4) YOU ARE A F.UCKING LIE. YOU troll ALL my comments b|tch cause U lonely. EVERY comment I write u always responding to. I really hope u get some MENTAL HELP U PSYCHO F.AGGOT WITH HERMAPRODITE FANTASIES.

      5) U ARE GUTTER TRASH!

      6) U ARE A LOSER.

      7) U HAVE NO LIFE.

      8) U ARE LONELY

      9) U ARE VILE

      10) U ARE A PEASANT

      11) U ARE EMPTY. WHAT KIND OF MAN (REGARDLESS OF HIS SEXUALITY ANTAGONIZES AND BULLIES A WOMAN EVERY DAY (regardless if I comment on the site or not that day)???????????? U ARE LOWER THAN SCUM. U ARE LOWER THAN GARBAGE. U ARE EVIL AND VILE AND VERY SATANIC!

      12) U WORSHIP SATAN.

      13) U WILL REAP WHAT U SOW.

      • Jasmine Da Bi Asian iBully TROLLmine Rasuptia (hermaphrodite) on the daily November 15, 2018

        TROLLmine I’m sorry that you are so jealous of me (and my XX chromosomes) but I can’t help it that I’m popular and all female (as opposed to you who’s hermaphrodite). If you stay in your lane I will let my louboutin off maybe 1 or 2 of your necks(chins) but you can’t seem to do that so as you try and bully the lessors who you know can’t handle you, the QUEEN(King) of all trolls, I’m right there as the TROLL POLICE to pull you by your side ponytail (#4c yacky) into reality. Don’t think I won’t come to jersey and slay you girl(boy)

      • Rasputia Latimore Is ANNOYED by GUTTER TRASH F.AGGOT ‘JasMAN Da Bi Asian’ Talking to her every day! November 15, 2018

        N|gga just cause u squeeze ur size 11 mens feet into Payless women’s shoes with red bottoms don’t make em louboutins and it don’t make u a b|tch cause u are a MAN. U ARE GUTTER TRASH THAT IS OBSESSED WITH ALL THINGS ROYAL HIGNESS RASPUTIA. Bow Down MÜTHAFUCKIN F.AGGOT. You are a F.Ucking LIE!!!!!

        1) I am not a bully nor am I a hermaphrodite. I am all woman and you are SEETHING MAD cause u aint a woman n|gga.

        2) U are the crazy schizophrenic because you TROLL TGJ 24/7 looking for people like me to attack. NOBODY give a f.uck what u got to say n|gga cause u ALWAYS OFF-f.ucking-Topic and u really ain’t saying nothing but SISSY f.aggoty sh|t nobody give a f.uck about like what Mariah wearing and doing (who give a sh|t?).

        3) U are the bully not me u vile F.AGGOT BULLY. Look how you constantly call me a hermaphrodite when u are a man in a dress squeezing into goodwill clothes, payless womens shoes, and cheap yacky yacky dollar store wigs!!!!

        4) YOU ARE A F.UCKING LIE. YOU troll ALL my comments b|tch cause U lonely. EVERY comment I write u always responding to. I really hope u get some MENTAL HELP U PSYCHO F.AGGOT WITH HERMAPRODITE FANTASIES.

        5) U ARE GUTTER TRASH!

        6) U ARE A LOSER.

        7) U HAVE NO LIFE.

        8) U ARE LONELY

        9) U ARE VILE

        10) U ARE A PEASANT

        11) U ARE EMPTY. WHAT KIND OF MAN (REGARDLESS OF HIS SEXUALITY ANTAGONIZES AND BULLIES A WOMAN EVERY DAY (regardless if I comment on the site or not that day)???????????? U ARE LOWER THAN SCUM. U ARE LOWER THAN GARBAGE. U ARE EVIL AND VILE AND VERY SATANIC!

        12) U WORSHIP SATAN.

        13) U WILL REAP WHAT U SOW.

        14) NO ONE CAN DICTATE WHAT I SAY AND HOW I SAY IT B|TCH

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