“If my daughter were to play a sport, and she was able to have equal prize money and equal pay or equal rights,” she says. “I feel like that would be a success too.”
Williams says she hopes her child would be vocal about fighting for equal pay and rights, as tennis champions Billie Jean King and her sister Venus have been over the years.
That assumes the battle for equal prize money won’t have already been achieved. Tennis, for instance, began paying out the same bounties for its major tournaments in 2007 when Wimbledon became the last to do so, as noted by PBS.
While the sports gender pay gap is narrowing, BBC reports there’s still more work to be done. And Williams hopes her future daughter will continue to fight for what’s right. “If [necessary], I would really want her to speak up for it,” says Williams. “Well, any daughter of mine will have a voice.”
The former No.1 player in the world also discussed what else she wants for her unborn child’s future: That he or she will live a life according to the values her parents instilled in her as a child. And that he or she will be able to find happiness, regardless of circumstances.
For instance, Williams recalls how she was raised by her parents not to be overly concerned about money. “Looking back, we grew up in a two-bedroom house and there were seven people,” she says. “I don’t know how my parents were able to make me feel that way, but they did. It was really special.”
But Williams, who has been regularly named as one of the highest-paid athletes by Forbes over the years, cherishes that time as a child.
“Honestly, if my kid can grow up exactly how I did, I couldn’t be happier,” she says. “I would love to give to my kid the values that my parents gave me. I think that’s most important and I think everything comes after that.”
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