Serena Williams: I Do Not Bleach My Skin!

PublishedDecember 3, 2024 11:12 AM EST|UpdatedDecember 3, 2024 11:12 AM EST

Serena Williams has a message for those who are accusing her of bleaching her skin: Stop being ridiculous.

During a Monday night Instagram Live for her Wyn Beauty brand, the retired tennis legend broke script and delivered a stern message to those who accused her in November of being a skin bleacher.

"And then I put just that neutral color, that is actually my skin colour, and no, for you haters out there, I do not bleach my skin," Williams told the virtual audience as she applied makeup. "There is a thing called sunlight, and in that sunlight, you get different colors."

Serena Williams poses on the red carpet as she arrives for 'The Prelude to the Olympics' at The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris on July 25, 2024, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP) (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images)

I don't keep track of this stuff, but apparently drama developed after Serena wore makeup at a school function for her seven-year-old daughter.

"Yes, I'm calling you out on this because it is ridiculous," Williams continued. "Everyone's like, 'Oh, she bleached her skin.' I'm a dark, Black woman, and I love who I am, and I love how I look.

"If people do it, that's their thing, and they have every opportunity and they should. I don't judge, but you guys do," she added. "But that's what this world is about, and I stay in my lane - the non-judgy one, and I keep it. But no, I actually don't bleach my skin, so can we just kinda clear that up?"

Serena Williams is accused of bleaching her skin after this TikTok video was published

"Unrecognizable. Wow!! Big WOW!!!" one woman wrote in the comment section followed by another who replied, "Somebody in the comments said, Marlon stop it you play too much," which seems to be a reference to Marlon Wayans in white face for his role in White Chicks.

"I thought that was Jaime Fox playing the character Wanda," wrote another.

That's a reference to Foxx's role of Ugly Wanda on In Living Color.

The comments just kept going.

There are Sammy Sosa references. Some wonder if Serena had a nose job.

"At first I was like who’s this? Then I remembered that’s the lady from the Muppets who plays with the band. JANICE," yet another TikTok user chimed in.

Serena swears she's not bleaching.

Innocent until proven guilty.