One thing I absolutely hate is when someone accuses me of lying when I’m telling the truth. Like of all the times I COULD HAVE or HAVE lied, it’s when I’m telling the truth is when you doubt me. Naturally my reaction when accused of lying is standing my ground and reiterating the fact that I’m telling the truth because I feel as if I was disrespected.

Recently in the U.S. Open Women’s Singles, upon the final game Serena Williams was accused of cheating as the referee pointed out that she received couching during the game. When called out on this Serena, very maturely addresses the referee and stated that she didn’t receive any coaching. She then asked for an apology from the referee as this accusation was an attack on her character and stated that she’s experienced similar discrimination every year she’s participated in the U.S. Open.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding this topic as some believed that Serena did in fact cheat but when called out reacted ‘immaturely’. But her coach did come out and admit to the fact that he was trying to coach Serena, he ALSO stated that Serena hadn’t noticed his hand motions and simply thought he was just giving her a thumbs up.

Even though this event has been somewhat settled, the reason why I choose to bring it up again is in light of a cartoon released after this event.

What one might think is a harmless cartoon of the athletes reaction is actually a very dehumanizing, painfully resemblance of Jim Crow imagery. When I saw this image on twitter following the U.S. Open finals I couldn’t believe that in 2018 something like this was published.

While during the event Serena claimed the accusation was an issue of sex, race always is the underlying issue. As mentioned before Serena has always experienced discrimination throughout her career from being drug tested disproportionately in comparison to her peers to cartoons such as this being released attacking her character.

Well you may ask yourselves, what’s exactly wrong with this cartoon? Well for starters the fact that Serena was drawn resembling an ape like being isn’t exactly new when on the topic of black caricatures. Also the fact that Serena’s nose and lips take up a majority of her face is something that has long been used in the stereotypical exaggeration of black features.

But even when stepping away from Serena’s depiction, taking a look at what is supposedly Naomi Osaka one can tell her character was especially white washed. Out of context, one would never guess that that cartoon was supposed to represent that Japanese-HATIAN player Osaka. But this wasn’t a mistake at all, Knight didn’t accidentally give Osaka fair skin and blonde hair. He did it in contrast of Serena’s ‘ape like behavior’, in contrast of her blackness.

It’s sad to think that in 2018 African Americans are still looked upon as inhumane. It’s sad to think that our reactions are so easily invalidated and somehow are attributed to our skin color. It’s sad to think that as an African American myself I have to act a certain way around others in fear of being ostracized and attacked. It’s a reality that unfortunately many of us have to face, and that our white counterparts will never experience.