If you’re anything like my family then you may find yourself watching football games Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and if you’re anything like millions of other Americans you may find yourself tuning in to the Super Bowl, even if it’s just for the commercials. Chances are you’ve seen the stunningly gorgeous and equally talented and athletic cheerleaders and dance teams of the NFL. Chances are you may not know how these cheerleaders are frequently subjected to sexual harassment, sexism and illegal wages.
A recent article in The New York Times, “Pro Cheerleaders Say Groping and Sexual Harassment Are Part of the Job,” exposes multiple dance and cheerleading teams in the NFL, NBA and the NHL and these entire organizations for how they treat their cheerleaders. This article delves deep into the septic wasteland that is professional cheerleading. The article was a collection of horrifying anecdotes from cheerleaders for the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Tennessee Titans, the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Cincinnati Bengals and the New Orleans Saints. All the anecdotes discussed the systematic and epidemic rate of sexual harassment faced by the cheerleaders.
The anecdotes from the cheerleaders followed a common theme: the fans sexually harassed the cheerleaders and they were expected to smile and say thank you. Cheerleaders from various organizations spoke of how they were taught to always be polite to drunk and disorderly fans. One cheerleader for the Cowboys was quoted saying how they were expected to “Use body language to help deter the situation. Never be mean. Never. Always courteous.” A former cheerleader from the Titans stated that “you sometimes get the disgusting old men who have been drinking and will say something inappropriate. It is common, and the industry knows that.” Another Cowboys cheerleader recounted a Philadelphia Eagles fan shouting at her that he hoped she’d get raped.
Guidelines for the cheerleaders explain that the cheerleaders are expected to report harassment but expectations state that those who complain will be replaced, especially in such a competitive and short-lived career. The organizations in various statements have claimed that their employees have a right to work without harassment and with respect, but many of the cheerleaders contest, and rightfully so, that they are hired out to dance at homes of fans and are expected to take photos with fans that sexually harass and assault them.
Disturbingly, one of the cheerleaders discussed the sinking, uncomfortable feeling when they’d arrive at their given address and be expected to dance for drunk forty year old men with no protection. This cheerleader also stated that she may be paid $100 to dance at a private event while the team would make $1200 off her appearance. A Cowboys cheerleader discussed how they’d also be expected to go to luxury suites and perform for fans who would get “handsy” and not be allowed to do or say anything. Another cheerleader summed it up by saying, “It’s like every other abuse dynamic. You don’t feel like you have the liberty to say, I’d prefer not to do this. In turn, you’re treated poorly and are paid hardly anything and are ragged on in rehearsal for not wearing the right lipstick.”
It’s truly disgusting how these women are being treated in 2018. The idea that these women are essentially unprotected from sexual assault and harassment and treated like decorations that can be bought and sold is shocking, shameful and a prime example of how much further women’s rights have to go. It’s so important that former cheerleaders are coming forward, and it shows the power the #MeToo movement has had in encouraging women to step forward with their stories of assault and for these women to finally be heard.
A large part of the problem in regards to these women’s stories of sexual assault is that they are not treated seriously. These women’s organizations expect them to dress promiscuously and essentially be perfect while paying them very little which causes this cyclical view that cheerleading and dancing is not a real profession because they dress promiscuously and are paid very little. This also has to do with how society views women guilty of their own sexual assault or at least partly to blame if they’re flirtatious or scantily-clad, especially if that’s their profession, so it’s disturbingly unsurprising that their organizations think they’re undeserving of protection. Many of the cheerleaders’ anecdotes fall along the rape spectrum and perpetuate a culture of rape. One of the cheerleaders recollected a twelve year old boy groping her butt with no repercussions. This boy believed his behavior was appropriate and now he ‘knows’ it is acceptable. It’s very disturbing and ironic that cheerleaders, considered a symbol of America and American football, are being degraded and treated like their jobs are not worthy of respect and protection.
This issue of sexual assault and harassment by fans and the lack of respect and protection on the part of their employers falls into the broader picture of cheerleaders being degraded by their organizations. Deadspin published the 2009 Baltimore Ravens cheer squad’s rulebook that revealed the cheerleaders were expected to be a certain weight throughout the season, and this number was unrelated to health or appearance. If the cheerleaders were not this certain weight they were suspended meaning they would be unpaid. The cheerleaders also had to pay for their own tanning sessions, make up, teeth whitening sessions and hair that could cost upwards of $1,000 a season. The Ravens cheerleaders were also expected to take place in a sexy bikini photoshoot to produce a calendar.
They were expected to buy $1200 worth that they could then potentially sell for a $300 profit. Male cheerleaders did not have to pose for this calendar and they only had to purchase $240 worth. Much like the cheerleaders in The New York Times article, the Ravens cheerleaders were paid $50 per hour for appearances while the team charged six times as much per cheerleader per hour. The cheerleaders were still expected to attend at least two charity events per month for free. They were also only paid $100 per home game which is only $7.14 per hour which has since been raised to the $7.75 minimum wage which Deadspin believes is due to the Raiders lawsuit.
According to Mic, The Raiders are embroiled in their a second lawsuit involving cheerleading as of 2017, with the first one being in 2014 in regards to severely underpaying their cheerleaders, the Raiderettes. This 2017 lawsuit is being brought by cheerleaders against the NFL and claims that the “NFL and teams ‘manipulate the market in order to pay the cheerleaders wages below market value.’” The 2014 lawsuit was specifically brought against the Raiders by the Raiderettes because they were making only $5 an hour. This suit was settled for $1.25 million after the Raiders increased this wage by four dollars or in other words, paid their cheerleaders minimum wage. A former Raiderette made a shockingly low sum of $1250 a year which has now increased to the incredibly generous sum of $3000 per year. This does not include the previously discussed $1000 in hair and makeup.
Mic published the Raiderettes’ 2012 guidebook where fines for not wearing a two-piece on Tuesday were discussed, as well as rules about having to sit with legs crossed. Most disturbing were the rules that blame women for their own sexual assault. The guidebook discussed that the Raiderettes should not fraternize with the Raiders, citing a Raider arrested for date rape that had thrown parties with Raiderettes in attendance and told the Raiderettes to “think how narrowly you missed having your photo in all the local papers and/or being assaulted!” The Raiderettes were also expected to find out if a player was married (if they were to fraternize) and to not talk to players or be near the players while also holding the fact that the Raiders do not need cheerleaders and they can be disbanded, at any time, over their heads. The Raiderettes also ridiculously could never been seen not smiling or not looking perfect, on or off the clock.
The New Orleans Saints, according to the New York Post, are also guilty of sexist guidelines in regards to cheerleaders fraternizing with the football players. Bailey Davis, a Saints cheerleader, was fired for posting a photo of herself on her Instagram in a sheer one piece because this broke a rule regarding appearing “nude, semi-nude or in lingerie” and for allegedly attending a party with Saints players.The Saints cheerleaders are expected to have zero contact with the players which includes, but is not limited to, not being able to wear Saints gear, having to leave an establishment if a Saints player is there and having to block the Saints players on all social media. Unsurprisingly, the Saints players do not have these rules, at all. The team states this is to protect the women which is just another example of blaming women for their sexual assault and more evidence that the NFL does next to nothing to actually protect their cheerleaders.
Davis says she is doing this for her fellow cheerleaders because she wants them to be able to “do what they love and feel protected and empowered, and be a female athlete and not be pushed to the side and feel unimportant.” Davis eloquently gets to the whole point of this problem: cheerleaders are athletes. Cheerleaders work long hours and train for years to be able to be professionals and for what? To be treated like children incapable of making their own decisions. To be so severely underpaid that they make less than the mascot and below minimum wage. To be hired out to dance in private residences. To be told to smile at people sexually harassing and even assaulting them. To be held responsible for the respect of their franchises. Pro cheerleaders and dancers need to be respected and protected and with that comes the end of ridiculous guidelines and the beginning of security and equal wages. It’s 2018. This shouldn’t even be a question.