Defiant Australian paper reprints ‘racist’ Serena cartoon

Ohanian was referencing Herald Sun editor Damon Johnston’s profile at the website for Male Champions of Change, a body that prides itself on working with “influential leaders to redefine men’s role in taking action on gender inequality”.

Veteran cartoonist for The Herald Sun, Mark Knight, drew a picture of Williams throwing a tantrum and stomping on her tennis racket, with a pacifier, or “dummy”, on the ground next to her, likely referring to the Australian slang term for a childish outburst, to “spit the dummy”.

“But to depict her in this large, brooding way – even for a cartoonist – is reminiscent about (how) black women in America and black women’s bodies (have been racially portrayed in the past) – especially in comparison to Naomi Osaka who in the back corner is drawn as this lithe, possibly white, looking woman”.

It was joined by several other cartoons from Mark Knight, including Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison.

Fellow cartoonists and Herald Sun editors, however, have come to the defense of Knight, slamming the backlash as evidence that the world has become too “PC” (politically correct). “The world has just gone insane”.

“Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop”, Rowling tweeted.

Williams clashed with Ramos over penalties she thought she did not deserve and ultimately lost to Naomi Osaka, a 20-year-old player born in Japan.

Melbourne, Australia’s newspaper, The Herald Sun is not backing down after it published an editorial cartoon of Serena Williams, which many critics have labeled an example of blatant racism.

Serena Williams was warned and then penalised by match umpire Carlos Ramos during the weekend US Open women’s final – including a code violation after her coach was identified giving instruction from the sidelines, a point penalty for smashing her racquet and a game docked for abusing the umpire. Sportscaster and former pro Mary Carillo described him Monday as “very, very respected”, and she said that Williams occasionally “acts like a bully”.

If you missed all that, we covered the cartoon, as well as Martina Navratilova’s reaction to Serena’s behaviour, yesterday. “It rightly mocks poor behaviour by a tennis legend…”

Another Twitter user, Paul Pellen, added: “Outrage for the sake of outrage!”

There has been a huge focus on Knight’s decision to draw Williams with enlarged facial features including oversized lips. Today it ran the cartoon again, this time on the front cover, along with depictions of more public figures, with commentary alongside each one about why “self-appointed censors” might not want to see them. She protested and demanded an apology from the umpire, who penalized her a game.