Being a cheerleader is hard work and glamorous and you can bet that any woman that makes it that far figured out long ago how to handle tampon usage and the right shaving techniques, but the NFL doesn’t think so.
The New York Times reviewed the handbooks for seven different NFL team’s cheerleaders and found they included things like hygiene, weight (Cincinnati Ben-Gals have to be within 3 pounds of ideal weight), what they have to do when a player from their team comes into the same restaurant (leave), and no sweatpants in public. All this for a job that pays very little and requires (in some cases) the cheerleaders to buy their own expensive uniforms.
While I wish the entire world had a no sweatpants in public rule (although, really for the men, because if we’re going to be sexist here, that’s the rule I’d make), this is over the top.
But is it illegal?
To keep reading, click here: NFL Cheerleader: A Job Where You’re Told How to Use a Tampon
She’s fighting the wrong battle. I agree that the cheerleaders and the players are not the same type of employee and that it makes sense for the rules to be different. The battle she and her fellow cheerleaders could be fighting instead is the elimination of the stereotype that their role is just to smile and look pretty. They should be fighting to be regarded as athletes, possibly entertainers, and paid accordingly. And they could also throw in a fight to bring more male cheerleaders in, to remove the stereotype that cheering is just for pretty girls.
I agree.
That will go over with fans about as well as male Hooters waiters.
Oh wow!
Seems to me it’s only the *true fans* – (you know, the people who claim they’re only there to watch the Game) are the ones who take the hardline about who is allowed to cheer on the sidelines.
By the same token – and I am sure it is just me – it also seems anyone who has a vested interest about who is working at Hooters is only there for the Hot Wings. Why is that, I wonder?
Frankly anyone who disparages male cheerleaders aren’t giving them their due as athletes. Anyone who has a problem with male servers should eat at home.
People who think anyone can just walk on and do either of those jobs have never tried ’em.
If they’re looking at ‘similarly situated’ employees, surely they’re thinking mascots, not players?