Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian celebrates rise in paternity leaves, hopes for further cultural change

Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, welcomed the rise in paternity leaves across the U.S. The Reddit co-founder, who took time off after the birth of his second daughter, has since become a leading voice advocating for broader access to paid leave for American fathers.

American news website Axios shared a report on X detailing how more fathers are taking parental leave. Resharing the report, Ohanian wrote:

"Progress! We gotta keep getting people access to it & then keep changing the culture to encourage dads taking it."

Serena Williams married Alexis Ohanian in November 2017, just two months after welcoming their first daughter, Olympia, in September. Williams faced birth complications but made a remarkable return to tennis, competing for several more years before retiring after the 2022 US Open.

In August 2023, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Adira. This time, Ohanian took paternity leave to be fully present with his growing family.

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When Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian reflected on paternity leave, family, and fighting for change

Serena Williams, her husband Alexis Ohanian, and their daughter Olympia at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 - Source: Getty

In September 2023, Alexis Ohanian, tech entrepreneur and husband of Serena Williams, shared his reflections one month into his paternity leave following the birth of their second daughter, Adira. The Reddit co-founder said the time off has been "vital for our family," especially after the difficult experience they faced with their firstborn, Olympia, in 2017.

"With Olympia, watching my wife fight for her life, I realized not having paid leave was unconscionable," Ohanian wrote in a heartfelt post on X alongside a photo of him watching TV with his daughters.

"Sure, all my employees had it, but the vast majority of Americans don't — and that includes new moms (1 in 4 women in the US return to work within 2 weeks of childbirth)."

Ohanian, who took leave after Adira's birth, has been a vocal advocate for paid parental leave ever since.

"If you know me, you know I don't like just talking, I believe in action... We took the fight to Congress and did get 12 weeks of parental leave for all federal employees (and recently including military!)," he added.

He acknowledged the progress but stressed that "we have much more to do."

Married to Williams since 2017, Ohanian has become a prominent voice in family policy. He frequently shares snapshots of life with Olympia and Adira on social media, offering a window into fatherhood.