Serena Williams is all about empowering women, both on and off the court — and for her latest project, she wants to make sure that women are taking steps to protect against breast cancer.
Williams is partnering with the I Touch Myself Project for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which begins on October 1. The goal is to remind women to self-check regularly, since early detection is an absolutely vital safeguard.
To shed light on the issue, Williams took the spotlight herself in a new music video she dropped with the I Touch Myself Project. The video is also supported by Breast Cancer Network Australia and the Australian bra company Berlei.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Posing against a simple black backdrop and holding her breasts, Williams sings a cover of none other than “I Touch Myself,” the 1990s hit by the Australian pop-rock group Divinyls.
She shared a clip of the video on Instagram and wrote, “Yes, this put me out of my comfort zone, but I wanted to do it because it’s an issue that affects all women of all colors, all around the world. Early detection is key — it saves so many lives. I just hope this helps to remind women of that.”
The I Touch Myself Project was created in honor of Chrissy Amphlett, the lead singer of Divinyls who passed away from breast cancer in 2013. Williams’ music video is both an homage to Amphlett and a nod to the original 2014 video that first kicked off the initiative.
Williams and the I Touch Myself Project are encouraging others to join in on their viral social media campaign. The project invites women from across the globe to post a photo of themselves holding their breasts (over clothes is fine) and share with the hashtag #ITouchMyselfProject to raise further awareness.