GQ Magazine Faces Backlash After Putting “Woman” In Quotations On Serena Williams Woman Of The Year Cover

GQ Magazine is facing backlash after it seemingly left #SerenaWilliams’ gender up for interpretation on its latest cover. 

The popular men’s magazine named the tennis star this year’s “woman of the year,” but unlike other covers featuring GQ’s woman of the year picks, Williams’ “woman” was left in quotes. The 37-year-old can be seen on the cover wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck leotard on one of four of #=GQ’s December covers. She was also given the title “Champion of the Year.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀

Women were first introduced to its “Men of the Year” honorees in 2003. Michael B Jordan, Henry Golding and Jonah Hill appeared on this year’s edition.  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The controversial quotes have spread throughout social media igniting confusion amongst users. The typography was handwritten by designer #VirgilAbloh, who often uses quotation marks in his work. Abloh has previously worked 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, according to CNN.

Williams has been shunned and attacked for her athletic body before. In an open letter on Reddit, she mentioned how society has ridiculed her physique. “I’ve been called a man because I appeared outwardly strong … It has been said I don’t belong in women’s sports — that I belong in men’s — because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard, and I was born with this badass body and proud of it.)”

GQ has yet to respond to news outlets but GQ research manager, Mick Rouse, responded to critics on Twitter saying, “Because it was handwritten by Virgil Abloh of Off-White, who has styled everything in quotation marks as of late (see Serena’s US Open apparel that he designed).”