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‘Every Family Deserves This Chance’ – Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian on His Relentless Fight for Paid Family Leave

Published 04/15/2022, 7:55 AM EDT

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Serena Williams has overcome all odds to become one of the most successful tennis players of all time. However, the year 2017 was a career-changing for her. Before the start of the Australian Open, Serena found out that she was expecting her first child. Riding onto this good news, the younger Williams sister defeated her elder sister, Venus Williams, in the finals of the Grand Slam Down Under to win the title that year.

Later that year, Serena gave birth to Olympia. However, the doctors had prescribed a C-section. As described by Serena, there were meetings going on outside the birthing room between the doctors and her husband, Alexis Ohanian.

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Like every challenge that Serena has overcome on the tennis court, she successfully overcame this challenge surrounding her complicated pregnancy. Subsequently, Alexis Ohanian has intensified his fight for Paid Family Leave.

Serena Williams’ husband on his fight for Paid Family Leave

Taking to Twitter, Alexis Ohanian expressed how personal emotions were attached to his fight for Paid Family Leave. He said, “When people criticize my fight for #PaidFamilyLeave I wish they could understand how personal this is for our family. #BlackMaternalHealth crisis is very real and won’t be solved by PFL alone, but every family deserves this chance to be with their loved ones after a new child.”

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Further, talking about the time he was born, he said, “When I was born in 1983, my father took a single day off work. He used a vacation day…I don’t blame my dad, or anybody else’s dad, for not taking time off after a child’s birth. Our culture makes it difficult.”

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via Getty

WATCH THIS STORY: Will Smith Shows How King Richard Cast Trained Like Serena and Venus Williams

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There have been growing calls for adequate paternal leaves across the globe. When devoid of Paid Family Leaves, it leaves many fathers away from their families under the fear of losing out on the job. It is the time when their families need them the most and the absence of Paid Family Leaves put a financial burden on the families opting for Family Leaves. It is high time that organizations accept this change for the betterment of their workforce and society.

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Written by:

Vatsal Shah

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Vatsal Shah is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in engineering, he is a die hard fan of tennis and sports in general. He is an ardent follower of Rafael Nadal and is inspired by his never-say-die attitude.
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Edited by:

Deepakshi Chaudhary