Don’t leave us, Serena
  August 9, 2022 Hey there Meteor readers, It’s only Tuesday and yet it’s been a whole-ass week for my emotions. I’ll spare you an explainer on my own personal Jerry Springer-esque drama, but there’s also been the return of Donald Trump to the news cycle, confounding goings-on at the WWE—and the loss of the bright star that was Dame Olivia Newton-John, who died on Monday. I was on the phone with Samhita when she told me the news and my immediate reaction was “shut the fuck up,” which is often not the way I speak to my superiors, but this was an occasion. Grease was the first non-cartoon musical I remember watching with my father, and it was one of our favorites. It was the movie that introduced me to the joy of musicals, and Sandra Dee taught me about the highs and lows of summer lovin’. After my father was gone, I clung to his Grease VHS cassette, finding comfort in Newton-John’s smiling face looking back at me long after the invention of DVD players. Eventually, I found my way to her music and was even more enamored. She always seemed to emit joy and I wanted so much to absorb that. I hope wherever her spirit has gone, there’s a roller disco waiting for her.  WHAT A SMILE. (IMAGE BY EVENING STANDARD/HULTON ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGES) What’s waiting for you in today’s newsletter is the rundown of our week so far, from the new abortion restrictions in Indiana to Serena Williams’ retirement. Vibing to 80s music, Shannon Melero  WHAT’S GOING ONThe Next Evolution for Serena WilliamsBY SHANNON MELERO  THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME! (IMAGE BY STEVE RUSSELL VIA GETTY IMAGES) Here is a sentence I thought I would never type: Serena Williams has announced her retirement from professional tennis, although she is referring to it as an “evolution” which feels much better to my ailing heart. In a deeply honest essay for Vogue, Williams, whose decades-long career includes 23 Grand Slam titles, says she’s stepping away from the sport to continue to grow her family and focus on other areas of her life. “Believe me,” she writes, “I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.” As with everything she does, Williams fully owns her decision to retire. “I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis.” And considering the scope of her achievements, who wouldn’t be? Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes of my lifetime. She not only changed the sport of tennis, but she also made it fashionable with her iconic (and troublesome) catsuits, tutus, and hairstyles. Through her dominance on the court, she also broke racial, economic, and gender barriers, creating the blueprint for a new generation of athletes like Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, and Emma Raducanu. These women are making huge waves in the sport and in their business dealings—achievements made possible by the example of both Venus and Serena Williams. The U.S. Open this month will be her final competition, and as ever we’ll all be cheering for her (but not when the ball is in play, have some respect). And whenever she takes that last wave, twirl, and walks off into her future, I’m certain I’ll be crying more than I am right now. When I read the Vogue piece I had to stop myself from crafting a witch jar in the hopes of spelling my way into getting just one more year of Serena Williams. She’s been playing nearly my whole life. I literally don’t know a tennis world without her! But that would be selfish (and spells can be time-consuming). Williams has given fans more than we deserve and the least any of us can do is send her off into the next chapter with love, support, and gratitude that she allowed us a small window into her life.  Hoosier horror: Indiana became the first state to pass an abortion ban since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. The inhumane bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb last Friday and only allows for abortions “in cases of rape, incest, lethal fetal abnormality, or when the procedure is necessary to prevent severe health risks or death,” according to The Washington Post; further, the rape and incest exceptions are so narrowly written that in practice they actually exclude many survivors of both crimes. This is particularly dreadful as Indiana had recently served as a haven for patients in surrounding states such as Ohio that have already passed near-total bans. Incensed Democratic state leaders, employers, and activists who oppose the law are gearing up for the long fight ahead. We’re ready.  A FEW MORE THINGS:
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