1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and you're listening to Stephone. Never 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: told you. This classic episode is brought to you by 3 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 1: two recent events. Firstly, the Super Bowl just happened in 4 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: my home base of Atlanta. Originally, my intent was to 5 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: flee the city because I'm not a football person and 6 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: I can't. I'm sure people who live in football towns 7 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: and especially places that have hosted the Super Bowl before understand. 8 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: But we were getting like warnings about crowds at work, 9 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: so I was very very primed to leave. But I 10 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: stayed and I had such a good time observing the spectacle. 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: I didn't watch it, of course, but um I partied 12 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: real heart and ate a lot of wonderful food, those 13 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: game day foods. Secondly, one of my co workers for 14 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: did me a story from the New York Times about 15 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: a high school cheerleading banquet held last March in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: It made the news because of the more unconventional awards, 17 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: the Big Booby Award for yes, the girl with the 18 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: biggest breast. For example, when the coach gave out the award, 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: she joked the recipient's enormous boobs that's a quote put 20 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: her at higher risk of concussion. There was the Big 21 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: Booty Award in the coach's words, everybody loves her butt. 22 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: And side note, at my high school, we had the 23 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 1: m r. A Award the most rapeable ask, which is yes, 24 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: very offensive. There was the string being award for a 25 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: freshman who was quote so light and skinny. After the 26 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: ceremony um, there were some concerns voiced by parents and teammates, obviously, 27 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: and the a c LU sent a formal warning to 28 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: the Kenosha Unified School District when they failed to take 29 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: any meaningful action. In another instance, a few months prior 30 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: to this, out of Cleveland, a coach resigned after a 31 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: student reported he made fun of her weight and punished 32 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: her by making her wear a uniform that was too small, 33 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: which is gross. Mm A Roth, a lawyer for the 34 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: a c l U Woman's Rights Projects, said about this 35 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: whole situation in Kenosha, quote, it's so important that we 36 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: intervene at a young age and girls are taught their 37 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: worth and are treated equally. When that doesn't happen, they 38 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: carry this message for the rest of their life. The 39 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: a c l U has intervened in other situations in 40 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: this district. To quote a selectively enforced dress code that 41 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 1: forbade tank tops and leggings. For example, a video is 42 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: shown in a health class that suggested the real people 43 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: at fault for sexual assaults are the female victims. As 44 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: we've spoken about before on the show, cheerleaders are athletes. 45 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: Objectifying them and reducing them to body parts is degrading. 46 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: It's degrading when you do that to anybody. This behavior 47 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: doesn't stop at the high school level, but hounds professional 48 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: cheerleaders as well, as you'll hear about in this classic 49 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: episode Enjoy. Hello, this is Annie and this bridget and 50 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: you're listening to stuff mob never told you. Today we 51 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: were talking about cheerleading and cheerleaders. Were you a cheerleader? Annie? No? Uh. 52 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to do, though, And I often think that 53 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: if I hadn't moved, I moved it like critical development, 54 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: developmental period of my life. And the friends that in 55 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: my old hometown they were all cheerleaders, and my friends, 56 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: the friends in my new hometown, none of them were cheerleaders. 57 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: So I like to think there's an alternate reality where 58 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: I became a really awesome cheerleader. To on Earth to 59 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: Amy's on top of the Pyramid, that's right. I'm just 60 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: cheering away, cheering my heart out. What about you? Were 61 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: you at cheering? I was. I was sort of cheer adjacent. 62 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: I didn't go to a school that had cheerleaders, but 63 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: I went to cheerly in camp. Yeah, I forgot about cheerleading. Yeah, 64 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: it sounds like both of us are folks who have 65 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: healthy respect for cheerleaders. Oh. Absolutely, Yeah, that's something that 66 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: I think people forget about cheer because when you're a cheerleader, 67 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: you're often in a skirt and you're in pom poms. 68 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: But cheerleaders are really talented. These are really talented athletes. Yeah. Um, 69 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: I tried out for the not cheerleading, but the dance 70 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: team at Georgia Tech. And there's another Annie. And if 71 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: she's listening, hello other Annie, alternate Annie. I called her 72 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: and she was in all of my same classes, and 73 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: she and I both tried out and she made it 74 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: and I didn't. She was slightly better than me at everything. 75 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: I respect her. I love this alternate Annie, the alternate 76 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: alternate Annie. There's just so many iterations. Fun fact is 77 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 1: that I did dance team for most of my my 78 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: I did, and actually people who are on dance team, 79 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: or at least the ones that I knew they like. 80 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: There to be a very clear distinction between cheer and dance. Yeah, caveat, Yes, 81 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: very much a caveat. But I bring that up because, um, 82 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: I sort of assumed foolishly that I would get on 83 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: there because I like dancing. Dancing is one of my 84 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: favorite favorite things, and I'm pretty athletic. I did not 85 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 1: make it. I don't think I was even close. Really, 86 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 1: what's Alternate Annie up to these days? Alternate she's like 87 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: a rocket. Probably she's probably I know she's in New York. 88 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: Could be a racket. She really could be. Oh no, 89 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: I don't know what I'm gonna I'm gonna have to 90 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: reevaluate some things. If Alternate Annie is a rocket, the 91 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: crisis for later, crisis for later. But yes, the whole 92 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: thing to say, cheerleaders very talented. A lot of athleticism 93 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: involved um professional sport. Teen cheerleaders are often dancers with 94 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: backgrounds in ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop and tap, 95 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: and they have to beat out dozens of other dancers 96 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: for the job, and then they have to show off 97 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: the athletic and dancing skills they have honed for years 98 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: on the fields. Yeah, these ladies are serious athletes. That's 99 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: there's a lot of kind of back and forth about 100 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: is cheerleading a sport or is it not a sport? 101 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: In my book, it's very clearly a sport. These people 102 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: are up there, they're breaking bones, they're doing flips, they're 103 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: doing dangerous stunts. It takes a lot of athleticism. Yeah. 104 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: A couple of studies from the first decades of the 105 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: two thousand's found that the leading cause of catastrophic sports injuries, 106 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: which are serious injuries to your brain or your spine 107 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: for American girls was cheerleading. And it used to be 108 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: I did a little of digging for fun into the 109 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: history of cheerleading for this, and it used to be 110 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 1: much more kind of like chant leading the crowd and chance. 111 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: And now it has become much more of a kind 112 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: of gymnastic has a gymnastic element that was out there 113 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: until it had this resurgence and around the eighties and nineties, 114 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: and then Bring it On came out, and you know, 115 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: oh my god. A side note, Bring It On is 116 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: about cultural appropriation and racism. Conversation for a later episode, 117 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: But y'all know it's true. I've never seen it. Oh 118 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: my god, Annie, I miss like all of the popular 119 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: high school any kind of even wrong com adjacent, I haven't. 120 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: It's not actually a round com. It's about female athletes, 121 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: because it's about cheerleaders. But to this day, if anyone 122 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: and you're not gonna get this reference, but people out 123 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: there probably will. If anyone ever says burr, I can't 124 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: help but fill in the it's cold in here. There 125 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: must be some toros or some clovers in the atmosphere. 126 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: You don't get that, remiss, let's watch it. You will. Okay, 127 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: we have quite the list of movies we do. We do. 128 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: So back to cheerleading. You know, it seems like a 129 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: very very glamorous job, but it actually sounds like cheerleaders 130 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: put up a lot of bs just to do their jobs. Yeah, 131 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: and NFL leaders schedule varies, but most can expect to 132 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: work eight hours per week for rehearsals, plus additional practice 133 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: time for rookies, and a full eight hour day at 134 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: the stadium for home games on Sundays or sometimes Monday 135 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: nights or even holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Regular special 136 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: appearances at community our each charity, and corporate events. Are 137 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: required as well. Many cheerleaders are not paid by the 138 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: hour either, but with a set fee for each game 139 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: or appearance, and many complain about not being compensated at 140 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: all for practices or travel times. Yes, so it seems 141 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 1: like they're not being compensated the way that you would 142 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: expect that a lot they're doing, a lot of things 143 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: would have that are required of them, but they're not 144 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: paid for them. And we'll talk more about how that 145 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: gets really twisted and toxic and reported in a little bit. 146 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: But even when those things are on the up and up, 147 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, charity events things like that, it seems like 148 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: those things are required of them, but they may not 149 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: be even being compensated for those kinds of things. Yeah. Yeah, 150 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: And they also have a lot of really demanding and 151 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: often strange rules. Tell me about it. Former NFL cheerleaders 152 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: say that members of their squad were sometimes bench for 153 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: gaining weight during a season. They can also be fine 154 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: for things like wearing the wrong outfit to her practice. 155 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: Some other kind of strange rules they have are not 156 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: being allowed to drink or curse or chew gum in public. 157 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: So I could definitely not abide by those rules and 158 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: bands on hanging out or dating NFL players. The States stations, 159 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: that's the States in New Orleans, the New Orleans Saints, 160 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: their cheerleaders they are rules actually prohibit cheerleaders from fatnizing 161 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,599 Speaker 1: with players, to the point where a cheerleader would be 162 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: required to leave a restaurant or a party if an 163 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: NFL player entered, even if she was there first. One 164 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: team meeting required that all the cheerleaders had to have 165 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: straight hair. The playbook for the Jills comes with these instructions. 166 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: Never eating uniform and less and arrangements have been made 167 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: in advance. Just say thanks so much for offering, but 168 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: no thank you. Never all kept saying, oh, we're not 169 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: allowed to eat, like that's a bad look. Yeah um. 170 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: It also has other gyms like learn how to use 171 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: the map, quest um, pedicures, exclamation for all caps, I 172 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: don't like speaks for itself. Bad breath is offensive. Always 173 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: keep it in check. Never engage in gossip. Don't hang 174 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: out too long in the bathroom. Other women will judge 175 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: you there too. Never use phrases such as like always 176 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 1: say excuse me when you burp, sneeze, or fart, even 177 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: if you think someone isn't around avoid conversations about the weather. 178 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: It seems desperate. Do not eat bread at a formal 179 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: event is so specifically, bare shoulders and low cut tops 180 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: are not appropriate um dining etiquette. There's something about how 181 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: to put in a tampon quote. A tampon too big 182 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: can irritate and develop fungus change every four hours. Seeing 183 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: they're they're like up in the ladies. These requirements are like, yes, 184 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 1: the Raven cheerleaders are required to friend their director on Facebook. 185 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: They also have to buy the Bikin Inc. Calendars and 186 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: sell them. They can keep the profits, but they're stuck 187 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: with any they don't sell, and they have to buy 188 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: one hundred calendars at twelve dollars a piece at least. 189 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: And that's nothing to sneeze that you might not have 190 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: that money. Well, they especially probably don't have that money 191 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,439 Speaker 1: when you actually look at how much these athletes are 192 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: being paid, which is frankly not that much. No, not 193 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: at all. And even while a lot of these handbooks 194 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: are clear to point out that cheerleading is not supposed 195 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: to be a full time job, they actually don't really 196 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: make that much money. Now. I did a lot of 197 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: digging on these stats trying to figure out how much 198 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: these athletes make, and it's not really widely available, probably 199 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: because they're not making a lot of money and they 200 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: want to keep that information secret. But one lawsuit filed 201 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: on behalf of one former San Francisco forty cheerleader said 202 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 1: that she earned a total of one thousand, two hundred 203 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: and fifty dollars per season, which when you do the math, 204 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: works out to about two dollars per hour, which is 205 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: nothing no one. Anonymous NFL cheerleader wrote in to Cosmopolitan 206 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: that she was paid at three thousand dollars during the 207 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: two thousand sixties, but after adding up non non reimversed 208 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: expenses for things like makeup and stylist appointments, she netted 209 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: only three hundred dollars. And stuff is really expensive, and 210 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: from what I read, most cheerleaders, professional cheerleaders are expected 211 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: to pay for it out of pocket. And I mean 212 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: high school cheerleading is not the same level. But I 213 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: remember my friends had to they had to wear a 214 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: certain color makeup, they had to wear makeup, and they 215 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: had to do their hair a certain way, and I 216 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: was always kind of like, wow, really, but yep, yep, yep, 217 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: they do, and that becomes especially troubling when you remember 218 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: that these athletes are not making that much money. To 219 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: then say you need to buy this calendar out of pocket, 220 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: you need to buy this makeup out of pocket. That's 221 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 1: out the out of pocket. To require that to be 222 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: something that you need for your job, but then make 223 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: you pay for it when you're not being paid that 224 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: much is a bit much. According to Time, NFL cheerleaders 225 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: earned somewhere between seventy five and a hundred and fifty 226 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: dollars per game, and might make as much as fifty 227 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: dollars per hour for a special whole corporate appearance. The 228 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: San Diego Chargers cheerleaders had been getting paid a flat 229 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: seventy five fee per game, but a California law that 230 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: went into effect actually mandated that they be paid for 231 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: all of their work at least at the state minimum 232 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: wage of ten dollars per hour. It still sounds pretty grim. Yeah, 233 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: I'm surprised that this is that is a win, like 234 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 1: getting the minimum wage. Yeah, I mean great, good, but 235 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: still I think I I read about the the jiggle 236 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: tests where you do the jumping jacks and if you're jiggling, 237 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: they might bench you for having gained weight. Um, and 238 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: if you get benched, you're not gonna get paid for 239 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: that game. And if there's only eight games in a season, 240 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:52,079 Speaker 1: then that's an eighth severe whole paycheck. That seems so unfair. 241 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: I think people listening might be saying, well, when you 242 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: signed up to be a cheerleader, you know that your 243 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: appearance is going to be a thing part of the job. 244 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: But this just seems demeaning. Yeah, and um, in my 245 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: time that when I've done some acting things, um, you 246 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: get paid as an actor for like rehearsal and like 247 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: showing up to get costuming and stuff like that. And 248 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 1: I do remember one guy said to me on set once, 249 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: isn't it weird to be in a profession where it's 250 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: all about how you look? And I was like, well, yeah, 251 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: now that you see that really strange. It is now. 252 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: It is now, but it is strange. But at the 253 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: same time, if that's if that is the case, you 254 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: should be paid for the work you're doing to achieve 255 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: that look, like the makeup and the hair, all of it. 256 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: That should be not coming out of your pocket. Well, 257 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 1: if it's part of the job, think that, you know. 258 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: I think that the issue comes in because when it's cheerleaders, 259 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: the idea is that they're sexy their women, and that 260 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: people sort of don't understand that it's just like any 261 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: other labor concern, that cheerlead it is just because they 262 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: wear skirts and they wear makeup and they're beautiful women 263 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: who are dancing. That doesn't mean that it's not a 264 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: regular labor dispute. And so I think that some people 265 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: might have a hard time wrapping their head around the 266 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: fact that, yeah, it isn't there if you are not 267 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: making a lot of money, and that you're still asked, 268 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: on top of that by your own makeup, byr own 269 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: mess byron that if those things are requirements for your work, 270 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: it's sort of not fair. But I think it's one 271 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: of those issues that because it involves women and because 272 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 1: it involves a certain kind of sexuality on display, that 273 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: people kind of it becomes murkier for some folks, when 274 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: in fact, for me, it's very cut and dry. It's 275 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: a labor it's a workplace issue. Totally agree. We have 276 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: um a lot more, a lot more of troubling workplace 277 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: issues to discuss, But first we're going to take a 278 00:15:49,280 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: quick break for a word from our sponsor, and we're back, 279 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: Thank you, sponsor. Okay, so let's get into sort of 280 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: the biggest news happening in the professional cheerleading world right now. 281 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: There was a bombshell report in the New York Times 282 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: alleging some pretty sleazy, troubling behavior going down with the 283 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: cheerleaders on the Washington football team. Uh. You'll notice I 284 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: did not say a certain word that starts with the 285 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: letter R, even though that is the official name of 286 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: the team. Being from DC, I can tell you there 287 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: is a big push to get that name changed. I 288 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: believe that name is a slur, so I try not 289 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: to say it, and I we'll try not to say 290 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: it in this episode. But it's a little bit of 291 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: a we should come up with a different name for it. 292 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: I feel like they have a different name that's been proposed. 293 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: There was actually this social media hoax back in twenty 294 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: seventeen that was put on by a group called Native 295 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: Advocates to bring awareness for this name change, where they 296 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: made a fake news website or a fake news press 297 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: release saying that the team name was being changed to 298 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: the Red Hawks. So let's just call them the Red Hawks. 299 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: That's easy enough. So again, this you might be thinking, 300 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: what is happening, Um, we're gonna be calling the Washington 301 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: d C professional football team the RedHawks instead of their 302 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: actual name. We know it's the act. We know this 303 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: is not the name. Don't write in and say you've 304 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: got the team name wrong. We know this. It's a slur. 305 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna say it. Well, I have a confession 306 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: I must make. I thought this was the Washington State 307 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: football Annie. Oh no, I am more out of touch 308 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: than I thought. This is like a you're I mean, 309 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: like this is I'm not a sport person, but this 310 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 1: is shocking to me. I am shocked as well. I 311 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: am not lie. I am learning this now, Annie, that's 312 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 1: the Seahawks. The Washington State football team is the Seahawks 313 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: the Washington DC, which is a different place where the 314 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: Red Hawks. I didn't know about the Seahawks too. I 315 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: don't know how. I never realized there's discrepancy there, that 316 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: they had two teams. In my head, Oh, I gotta 317 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: I really need to think about things. I need to 318 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: find alternate Annie Nascar for some advice. Yeah, she's gonna 319 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: take you after her demanding Rockets work out. She's gonna 320 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: take you for lunch and get your life together. That's 321 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,160 Speaker 1: what I need. That's what I need. Okay, So here's 322 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: what's going down. According to this report in the New 323 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: York Times, the Washington RedHawks took their cheerleading squad to 324 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: Costa Rica for a calendar shoot. The cheerleaders were paid 325 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: nothing beyond transportation costs, meals, and lodging, which I already 326 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: found a little bit if you know, I mean, I 327 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: guess maybe you would be happy to to go on 328 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: a Costa Rican vacation. But still so here's where it 329 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: gets really sketched in my book. Red Hawks officials took 330 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: their passports upon arrival at the resort, depriving them of 331 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: their official identification. Now, the officials say, this is just 332 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: a routine thing to keep you know, to keep the 333 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,479 Speaker 1: logistics or keep them safe, whatever. But if you got 334 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: to Costa Rica, a different country, and the first thing 335 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 1: that happened to you that you if you were there 336 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: for work, and the first thing that happened was give 337 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: me your passport, that would already give me some creepy vibes. Yeah, 338 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,679 Speaker 1: and I feel like there are many situations where you 339 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: might want your passport in another country. I would say 340 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 1: pretty much all situations. I would feel super unsafe without 341 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: my passport. Yeah, and as someone when you travel, the 342 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 1: advice you get is make a copy of your passport 343 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: and leave one at home. Like if logistically, they're saying 344 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: it's logistics, why couldn't they just have a copy of 345 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: the passport, you would think. So the steerleaders go to 346 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: an adult's only resort and they're they're here for this 347 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: photo shoot. So the Red Hucks cheerleaders, they show up 348 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: to this adult's only resort and they are doing this calendar, 349 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: this kind of sexy calendar photo shoot. Some of them 350 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: were required to be topless and others of them only 351 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: were body paid. Now, this resort isn't kind of a 352 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: secluded area, so you know, not a big deal. You know, 353 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: would wouldn't be if you felt uncomfortable being topless, It 354 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: wouldn't be that maybe that big of a deal because 355 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: it's secluded. Except the RedHawks invited spectators, a contention of 356 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: sponsors and FedEx field suiteholders. All men were granted up 357 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: close access to the photo shoots, which asking gross. Yeah, 358 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: that's disgusting. Well, it actually gets worse. After a fourteen 359 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: hour day that included posing and dance practice and all 360 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: of that. The squad's director told nine of the thirty 361 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: six cheerleaders that they had a special assignment for the night. 362 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: Oh no, I bet you can sort of imagine where 363 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: this is going. I I unfortunately think I can. Yes, So, 364 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: some of the male sponsors who've been there probably leering 365 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 1: at them all day like creeps, had to pick them 366 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: to be personal escorts at a nightclub later that night, 367 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: and oh no, it's bad. So so it doesn't sound 368 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: like they were forced or required to have sex with 369 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: these men, but it's still it's a it's a weird situation. 370 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: One of the cheerleaders said, they weren't putting a gun 371 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: to our heads, but it was a mandatory for us 372 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: to go. We weren't asked, we were told. Other girls 373 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: were devastated because we knew exactly what she was doing. Wow, 374 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: I can't. I'm shocked that this was kind of a 375 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: surprise assignment. That that feels very shady to me in 376 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,640 Speaker 1: of itself, and the whole thing is, but the fact 377 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: that it's just sort of sprung on you, Hey, you 378 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: have to go do this thing that you might be 379 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: very uncomfortable with. We didn't give you any warning, you 380 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: just gotta go do it. Yeah. According to this report, 381 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: some of the shooters when they found out they had 382 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 1: to do this burst into tears, like on the spot. 383 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,439 Speaker 1: That's so sad. So when the nine cheoters who were 384 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: picked to do this quote special assignment showed up to 385 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: the club, they found the club dark and pretty much 386 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: empty except for the men who had requested them. And 387 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 1: when they got there, they actually found that Red Hawks 388 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: officials were there at the club. Lawn Rosenberg, the senior 389 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: vice president of Operations, and Dennis Green, the president for 390 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: business Operations, were both there. A former Red Hawks cheerleader 391 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: who volunteered as a sigeline assistant during the games was 392 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 1: encouraging the women to drink and flared and have a 393 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: good time. The issue was that management really seemed to 394 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: condone all of this. One cheerleader who was there said, 395 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: according to this report, so honestly, it's like, you get 396 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: to this club, there's nobody there. Let's be real. This 397 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 1: group of men who's probably been leering at you all 398 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: night while you were topless, and you they couldn't say 399 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: anything about it. He hand picks you more or less 400 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: makes it mandatory if you go to this nightclub with him. 401 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: You get there and it's like your bosses are there 402 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: and they're encouraging you to drink and flirt. That's weird. 403 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: That is so strange, and that would fall under like 404 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 1: if that happened at almost any other company, it would 405 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: be very, very traveling and problematic and he probably gets sued. You. Yeah, 406 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: it would be bad. So here's a kind of extra 407 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: added layer of making this sort of a sleazy experience 408 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 1: for these for these women. They say that after the nightclub, 409 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: around two or three am, they got into the van, 410 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: only to be stopped by several police officers, who of 411 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: course asked for their passports, which they didn't have. Yeah, 412 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: And after they were allowed to leave by the police, 413 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: a man affiliated with the cheerleading squad allegedly said, quote, 414 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: I guess they thought you were prostitutes. Wow. It's really 415 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: hard to say without having them, without knowing, that's what 416 00:22:55,680 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: inflection he said that if he was being helpful, are rude? Yeah, 417 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: I mean that's just such an uncomfortable experience, so much 418 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: so that when they returned to the resort, several women 419 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: on the team decided not to return to the squad 420 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,880 Speaker 1: the next season. What happened in Costa Rica, they said, 421 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: made them feel worthless and unprotected, and I can understand why. Yeah, 422 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: you just feel very as if the people in charge 423 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: of in charge of you in your career and one 424 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 1: would hope keeping you safe when you're traveling, and to 425 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: be treated that way, as if you're just going to 426 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: do this and I don't really care what apference to you. Yeah, 427 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: we're not going to give you security. Just think if 428 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: that night, which was already awful, really got unsafe and 429 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: somebody had to run out of there because one of 430 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 1: these men got grabby or whatever. You don't have your passport, 431 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: you don't have security. You do have nothing. I mean, 432 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 1: and especially with the alcohol flowing, it just does not 433 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: sound like they were set up to have a safe experience. No, 434 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: it sounds like the opposite of it, in fact, which 435 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: is mm hmm terrible. Yeah, it does sound terrible. I 436 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 1: should note that Stephanie Jokanian, a longtime director and choreographer 437 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: for the Red Hawks, disputes much of what the women 438 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: say happened in Costa Rica. She totally denies that the 439 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: nightclub night was mandatory and says that the cheerleaders who 440 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: went were not chosen by sponsors. She says, I was 441 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: not forcing anyone to go at all. I'm the Mama Bear, 442 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: and I really look out for everybody, not just the cheerleaders. 443 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: It's a big family. We respect each other and our craft. 444 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: It's a very supportive environment for these ladies. The Red 445 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: Hawks also put out a statement pretty much saying the 446 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: same thing, disputing the claims of what happened in Costa 447 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 1: Rica and reaffirming that there you know, they stand for 448 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: the safety of all of their athletes, which sounds to me, yeah, 449 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: it does have that oh, as we say. Dan Schneider, 450 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 1: the team's owner, has also been accused of making the 451 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: whole cheerleading program launchier, like pushing it in that direction. 452 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: Mr Schneider was quote bringing the craft closer to pole 453 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: dancing with every season, and said a two thousand nine 454 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: column in the Washington City Paper which referred to an 455 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: advertisement on Mr Schneider's w t e M a m 456 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: sports talk radio station that year. In the add Breathymale 457 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: Voices discussed a listener contest in which five lucky winners 458 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: would have Red Hawks cheerleaders wash their cars. One man 459 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: asked the other if he would like the cheerleaders soaping 460 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: up and scrubbing you. Yeah, that makes my skin crawl. 461 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: Just yeah, these are athletes. I mean, no shame to 462 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: women who are in the you know who dance or 463 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: who are sex workers. But it's like, that's not what 464 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: these wouldn't sign up for. They weren't signed up to 465 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: be just because they wear short skirts and dance on 466 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: a field, they do not sign up to wash cars 467 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: in a bikini. Doesn'thing wrong with that, but that's not 468 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: They didn't do like years and years and years in 469 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: ballet training to watch some jerk's car and they have 470 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: their owner, the owner of this team be the one 471 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: who's putting them out there to do that. It's just 472 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: really degrading. Even worse, on the Red Hawk's own website, 473 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: fans were able to play a version of the game 474 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 1: not or Hot, where it would be two pictures of 475 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,160 Speaker 1: Red Hot cheerleaders and you get to pick which one 476 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: is hot and which one is not. And that was 477 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: on their official website. Now, after this New York Times 478 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: report was released, they took it down with their screenshots 479 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: on the internet. This was a thing that they thought 480 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: was appropriate to have on their official website until this 481 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: report came out right. I recall um a bit of 482 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 1: a curffuffle around the hotty alert um, which was like 483 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: a social media thing where they once a week would 484 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: publish like a picture on Instagram upon the cheerleaders in bikini, 485 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: but the cheerleaders weren't allowed to publish quote sexy pictures 486 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,199 Speaker 1: on their personal personal Instagram accounts, and a lot of 487 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: teams that did that said it was for their safety 488 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: to prevent stalking. But um fans, which is tag like that, 489 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: that excuse doesn't hold water. Yeah, I want to talk 490 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 1: about that more going forward, But it is clear to 491 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: me that they dictate these women and their sexuality to 492 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: a degree that is absurd. Right where they tell you 493 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: when to change your tampon, you know what you can 494 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 1: and can't do when you're in public on your own time, 495 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: all of that, and it's clear to me that they 496 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: when you find out like there's a cheerleader who says 497 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: that she was fired because she posed in a one 498 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: piece bathing suit on her personal Instagram account, and it's 499 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: clear to me that the NFL, then you don't have 500 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: a problem with sexuality, but they want to be in 501 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: control of it. They want to use the sexuality of 502 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: their cheerleaders to make money, to promote to whatever, and 503 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: they want these women to have no agency and no 504 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 1: control of their own sexuality, which is a really weird discrepancy. 505 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: Clearly they don't give a crap about the modesty of 506 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: these players or whatever excuse they're giving, because if they did, 507 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 1: they wouldn't be doing they wouldn't be allowing men to 508 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: leer at them when they're trying to work. So they 509 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 1: clearly don't care about that, but they're saying, oh, we 510 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: care about your modesty. We don't want you to be stocked. 511 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 1: It's very like benevolent sexism, but it's also very just toxic. 512 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: And isn't any wonder then that these and oftentimes feel 513 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: entitled their to their bodies. You know, these women describe 514 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:06,959 Speaker 1: what they have to put up with when they're on 515 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: the job, and this is in their handbooks of how 516 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: they're expected to behave. If a fan gets grab you 517 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 1: with you, your actual handbook says that you're not supposed 518 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: to offend him. You're supposed to sort of be sort 519 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: of gracious and polite, And so clearly they don't. These 520 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:22,439 Speaker 1: rules are not there to protect these women if they 521 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:24,880 Speaker 1: really cared about protecting these women, they would have security 522 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: with them, they would they would make very easy efforts 523 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 1: to protect them. They clearly don't care. So that excuse 524 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: is so clearly bull Yeah, and it's just weird when 525 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 1: it again, like we want you to be in this 526 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: sexy outfit here, but don't do it on your own time. 527 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: That doesn't make That doesn't make sense to me. It 528 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. So there are a couple of other 529 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: like really creepy allegations. Um a former Red Hawks cheerleader, 530 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: shared one especially unusual assignment several years ago. She said 531 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: her and five teammates were told to drive to an 532 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: address that the Red Hawks have given them. When they 533 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: got there, they thought it was gonna be a business 534 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: or something like that, but it was a house. They 535 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: go inside, thinking maybe it's a party or a charity 536 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: event or whatever, and it wasn't. There were seven men 537 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: in their forties just hanging out in this house. When 538 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: they get there, the homeowner says, you know who's single, 539 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: who's married, starts sizing them up. The men were all drinking. 540 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: They asked the women if they wanted to drink they 541 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: the women were like, probably no thing. Because this is weirdness. Um. 542 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: The women, they did a two minute dance in the 543 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: basement of this house. They spent the rest of the 544 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: afternoon walking around the house and having awkward conversations with 545 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: the men while the men were watching an NFL game 546 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: on TV. One Shooter, who was there, said it was 547 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: sketchy because we were in some dude's house, some random house, 548 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: and it was physically uncomfortable to be there. And yeah, 549 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 1: it just seems like they're being treated like property, like 550 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: escorts that you can just call and they'll show up 551 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: on demand. And you know, it's one thing to be 552 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: expected to dance, and if someone's having a charity event 553 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: at their home, a big party, that's one thing. But 554 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: then it's show up. But it's like, oh, you just 555 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: want me to hang out in this house, in this 556 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,959 Speaker 1: basement with like seven strange men while they hang out, 557 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: I mean it want It just sounds like a terrible time. 558 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: It's it's awkward, and three, it's just it's dehumanizing. Yeah, 559 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: And I think if I had to describe, if I 560 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: had to write a job description of what I thought 561 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: a cheerleader did, that doesn't fall under Oh yeah, hanging 562 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: out with seven old guys, you've never met in a 563 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: basement of someone random house. That's not part of the 564 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: You don't think that was part of the training. That's 565 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: not on your resume. I don't think that came up. No, um, yeah, 566 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: And I'm just kind of They'm struggling with why why 567 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,719 Speaker 1: that's even happening either. I guess they're big fans. They 568 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 1: must donate money, Like, I don't know. I just feel 569 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: that that must be kind of a wink quink, nudge nudge. 570 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 1: No one tells you that that's going to happen, and 571 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: no one really lists officially that that's happening. I don't know. 572 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: It's so, I mean, it's I feel for these women 573 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 1: really do. And then I mean, I think this comes 574 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: up again and again. Not being able to tell these 575 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,479 Speaker 1: menda off like not like not being able to be 576 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: like this is an uncomfortable situation. I don't want to 577 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: I don't want to do it. Having this be mandatory 578 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 1: and having your response also be mandatory, because I've had 579 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: I've done all kinds of weird jobs where I was 580 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: my physicality was involved, and usually in those jobs, at 581 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you are the one who 582 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: is responsible for keeping yourself safe, and so you are 583 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: empowered to be like, yeah, this situation seems not on 584 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:32,959 Speaker 1: the up and up, you don't have to do it. 585 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: I was a campaign worker for a while, the person 586 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: who would knock on your door and be like, oh, 587 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 1: do you want to vote for Barack Obama? And it 588 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: was clear like if I didn't feel comfortable going to 589 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: a house, guess what it was, Okay if I was like, no, 590 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: I'm not going to that house. Because people in workplaces 591 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: need to feel empowered to keep themselves safe, and in 592 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: this environment, it sounds like no one has been given 593 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: that agency. It's sort of reminds me of Um, I 594 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: was a waitress for a while and just having to 595 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: depend on tips and encountering so much sexual harassment and 596 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: just because it's your customer, the customer is always right 597 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: and you're depending on the money. That's where most of 598 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 1: your money is coming from. Um. Yeah, A lot of 599 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: times they would say something to you. Becaustomer would say 600 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: something to you that made you feel really inappropriate. Maybe 601 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: the whole thing feel really inappropriate and uncomfortable, and you 602 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: just kind of like laugh. Try. I called it de escalating. 603 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: A lot of people use that term but I was, yeah, like, 604 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: I'm going to go to this other table now, um 605 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: it's sort of similar to that, but it's different too, 606 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: And that at least at the end of the day 607 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: I can go home and post whatever on not that 608 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: I could do for that long day. I can go 609 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 1: home and take up a KINI shot me eating a 610 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: doughnut and in a bikini, like I won't be able 611 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: to sit in this. It also spitting and swear. It's 612 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: a little things. It's just the little things it is. Um. 613 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: So another creepy allegation, this time on one of the 614 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: creepiest places that you could possibly So if you were 615 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: to think, where is someplace where I would not want 616 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: to find myself in a creepy situation? Top top thing, 617 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 1: I don't think that comes to mind. Okay, Okay, Now 618 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: I was going I was gonna say boat, I want 619 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: to find myself in a creepy situation on a boat. 620 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,959 Speaker 1: But in that is exactly what happened to the Red 621 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: Hucks cheerleaders. J Jackian, who we mentioned earlier it was 622 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: a choreographer and a squad director. Basically, the Red Hucks 623 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: cheerleaders had to have a mandatory team bonding boat trip 624 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 1: at a peer in Georgetown, and they get on this boat. 625 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 1: They're thinking, Oh, it's gonna be a party boat. It's 626 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: going to be team building whatever, you know, a bonding 627 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: thing that you might do at any workplace. They get 628 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: on and they realize it isn't a commercial boat at all. 629 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: It is a yacht with several man aboard, including one 630 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: familiar face, a Mr. William R. Til Jr. Who is 631 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 1: a sponsor of the Red Hawks, and as a sponsor, 632 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,959 Speaker 1: he'd helped judge the cheerleading tryouts and occasionally was invited 633 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 1: to buy package deals to attend those calendar she was 634 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier. He also paid for about howx 635 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 1: cheerleaders to attend the Super Bowl. Now, five of these 636 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: cheerleaders described this experience as a wild gathering where men 637 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:19,720 Speaker 1: shot liquor into the cheerleader's mouth, with turkey basers below deck. 638 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: Men handed out cash prizes in turking contests. Now, none 639 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:25,279 Speaker 1: of the women who went on this trip said they 640 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: were touched in appropriately, and to team captains that the 641 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: trip was pretty pleasant. One added quote, they were all 642 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: adult and got out of the experience what they wanted 643 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: to get out of it. You know, a few years later, 644 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,919 Speaker 1: one cheerleader was told what to expect about this sort 645 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:42,320 Speaker 1: of annual team building bonding wild boat liquor being sprayed 646 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: in your mouth affair. She was told, I've been given 647 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 1: a heads up that we were going on this particular 648 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 1: man's yatt and that he had a lot of money, 649 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 1: and that you could make a lot of money there 650 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 1: if you wanted, referring to the cash prizes. But that 651 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: was not for me, and a lot of us felt 652 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: the same way, but we were too scared to complain. 653 00:34:58,080 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: We built that our place on the team would be 654 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: compromised if we did. Sure, if it's the guy who 655 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: owns the boat the yacht is judging the cheerleading tryouts, 656 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: I would very much feel the same way. Team bonding 657 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 1: is a very misleading name for that. Yeah. Even the 658 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 1: head choreographer, the squad director, Mr. Jockeyans, said that she 659 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:20,799 Speaker 1: didn't really understand how this was a team bonding experience, 660 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: which it doesn't sound the bonding experience at all. No. 661 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: At first, I was like, h, I wonder if this 662 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: is going to go the way of that Office episode 663 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 1: where they're on the booze cruise and then there's perking 664 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 1: contest and cash prizes involved. Like, okay, it's a little 665 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: bit worse than that, just a little bit. Uh. And 666 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: Mr Teal, whose name is still painted on two prime 667 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: parking spots at FedEx Field though he no longer owns 668 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: a suite at the stadium, was adamant and saying that 669 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:49,720 Speaker 1: nothing inappropriate happened on his boat and that he always 670 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: treated the cheerleaders with respect. I have five sisters, he said, 671 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,240 Speaker 1: adding that at his boat's parties, no one was allowed 672 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 1: to be disrespected. Oh so because you have sisters, I 673 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: hate that. It's awful. It's awful. So if you so, 674 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: basically it's like we could do a whole episode on this. 675 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: I would, yes, But basically it's like if I'm no 676 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: one's sister or no one's daughter, Like if my if 677 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: my dad is dead and I'm the only child, people 678 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: can treat me however however they want. Because I said, like, oh, like, 679 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:19,919 Speaker 1: that's someone's daughter. It's like, what if you're not someone's daughter, 680 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,640 Speaker 1: what does that mean? You're still a person? Right? Whenever 681 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: um sexual harassment thing would come out, and I always 682 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 1: think of Paul Ryan and I don't know why, but 683 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: they would be like, oh, I've got a I've got 684 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:32,000 Speaker 1: a daughter and a wife, and I really don't want 685 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 1: them to be treated like this. And I'm like, so 686 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: if they're not related to you, if they're not directly 687 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 1: within your circle, yeah whatever, If I didn't have this 688 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 1: wife and daughter, who knows. Also, you don't see women 689 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,280 Speaker 1: saying there's not any men in my life, so I 690 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:52,719 Speaker 1: murder them. I don't didn't know they were human because 691 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 1: I don't have any any male family members. I didn't 692 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: know that's true. You never hear people really say like 693 00:36:57,600 --> 00:36:59,360 Speaker 1: I have a husband and I have a son, like, 694 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,719 Speaker 1: I would never do that. I have a father. No. No, 695 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 1: I always think of like, don't we all have the mother? Though? 696 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: Can't we just relate to that thing? It's asinine, It's 697 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 1: so asinine. Oh, I have another creepy allegation, this time 698 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: on a golf course. Um. This is a lawsuit that 699 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:21,040 Speaker 1: described an event where cheerleaders were auctioned off at a 700 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 1: golf tournament and then we're expected to ride around in 701 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 1: the golf cart on the winning bidder's lap because there 702 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,279 Speaker 1: was no space in the golf cart. And this was 703 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:32,800 Speaker 1: after like a dunking contest, and it was sort of 704 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:37,280 Speaker 1: a charity event, but demandatory to go um and uh, 705 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:41,279 Speaker 1: it made it made the cheerleaders involved very uncomfortable. I 706 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 1: can imagine, but it actually sounds like being sort of loaned. 707 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:46,319 Speaker 1: I don't even know if I don't want to say 708 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if that's the right word, 709 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:50,640 Speaker 1: but it sounds like being sort of loaned out to men. 710 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: It's kind of considered part of their job, but they 711 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,280 Speaker 1: aren't even being paid for it. The way one cheerleader 712 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 1: saw it, it was unfair that the team making money 713 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:00,359 Speaker 1: off of its cheerleaders who get paid so little, are 714 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,680 Speaker 1: asked to do this. She says, people would just call 715 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: up the managers and say how many girls do you want? 716 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:06,760 Speaker 1: For how many hours do you want them to dance? 717 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,479 Speaker 1: It's literally like you're calling for an escort, she said, 718 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: And she recalls that she was only paid a hundred 719 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,920 Speaker 1: dollars for a promotional event, while the team charged twelve 720 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 1: hundred dollars per cheerleader. Oh, the math doesn't add up there, 721 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 1: it doesn't add up, so she she makes it really 722 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:23,800 Speaker 1: good point. She says, it's not like somebody grabbed my 723 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,399 Speaker 1: boobs and nobody told me have sex with me right now. 724 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,880 Speaker 1: It's a lot more nuanced. It's like every other abuse dynamic. 725 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:31,719 Speaker 1: You don't feel like you have the liberty to say 726 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: I'd prefer not to do this. In turn, you're treated poorly, 727 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: you're paid hardly anything, and ragged on the rehearsals for 728 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:39,400 Speaker 1: not wearing the right lipstick. The whole thing is so 729 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,400 Speaker 1: messed up. So it just sounds like a real toxic 730 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,239 Speaker 1: environment and an environment where people are not one not 731 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,600 Speaker 1: being fairly compensated. Because honestly, if I was a cheerleader 732 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 1: and someone said, Bridget, how much would we have to 733 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 1: pay you to get in a bikini and wash some 734 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: guy's car? I would I might be like, oh well 735 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:01,880 Speaker 1: I would. I would write a number of the favorite 736 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:04,920 Speaker 1: flight across the table, and if we agreed, fine, But 737 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:08,760 Speaker 1: it just sounds like a situation where a they it's mandatory, 738 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: they don't have a choice, and be they're not being 739 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: compensated for this extra thing. And again it says in 740 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:16,879 Speaker 1: a lot of their contracts that they have to do 741 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 1: promotional or charity events. But dancing at some guys random 742 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,000 Speaker 1: basement party is on a charity event like this is 743 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:24,920 Speaker 1: this is not in their contract that they have to 744 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: do this and they're being expected to do it, and 745 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:28,640 Speaker 1: if they don't do it, sounds like they get pressured. 746 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,040 Speaker 1: And it again, it's just like any other workplace faritess 747 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 1: issued it's because there's beautiful women involved who wear short skirts. 748 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:39,200 Speaker 1: Doesn't make it anything different than any other labor dispute. Yeah, no, 749 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:42,839 Speaker 1: not at all, um. And all of these allegations come 750 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: as NFL cheerleaders are involved in high profile discrimination lawsuits 751 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 1: against the NFL. A former cheerleader for the NFL's Miami 752 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 1: Dolphins filed a complaint against the league and the team, 753 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:56,120 Speaker 1: alleging that she was discriminated against because of her religion 754 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: and gender. Kristen Ware, who spent three seasons with the 755 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:03,319 Speaker 1: Dolphins cheerleading squad ending in the spring of sen said 756 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:06,120 Speaker 1: in a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations 757 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 1: that she was subjected to a hostile work environment for 758 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 1: her expressions of faith and Christianity. Where contended that she 759 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 1: became quote a target of discipline, ridicule, harassment, and abuse 760 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,760 Speaker 1: from the team's cheerleading director, Dory Grogan, and other coaches 761 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 1: and representatives of the squad only after she posted an 762 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:27,279 Speaker 1: off season photo on social media. Of herself being baptized 763 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: before the third season on the team. So again that 764 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: social media coming up, that you have to this like 765 00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:41,640 Speaker 1: policing what you're doing outside of Yeah, it's it's sucked 766 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 1: up at Another lawsuit, also involving social media, a New 767 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:49,759 Speaker 1: Orleans st st Station, All I love the names of these. 768 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: Bailey Davis was fired from the Saint stations after posting 769 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,799 Speaker 1: an Instagram photo showing her on an outfit similar to 770 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:00,279 Speaker 1: a one piece bathing suit. She filed a coin with 771 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 1: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, saying the Saints have different 772 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: standards for women and men, which they clearly do. Yeah, clearly, 773 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,200 Speaker 1: And never mind the fact that NFL players can punch 774 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:12,359 Speaker 1: their wives in the face and like rape people and 775 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 1: beat people and be pretty much awful responsible human beings. 776 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: And it's fine, Oh a one piece of bathing suit, 777 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:25,880 Speaker 1: get her out of here. Yeah, that's too much, subbridge, 778 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,840 Speaker 1: too far. I mean, if she had beat her partner 779 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,799 Speaker 1: unconscious at a videotape, that's one thing, that's one thing 780 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,080 Speaker 1: we could get. We could get by with their shoulders. 781 00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:38,760 Speaker 1: Not on my watch, no way. So these two cheerleaders 782 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:41,840 Speaker 1: were asking for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to have a 783 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:45,400 Speaker 1: meeting with a group of cheerleaders. If Goodell agreed, the 784 00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:49,239 Speaker 1: two former cheerleaders who had filed these discrimination claims would 785 00:41:49,239 --> 00:41:53,040 Speaker 1: settle those claims for a dollar each. The settlement proposal 786 00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:56,320 Speaker 1: by Sarah Blackwell, the lawyer representing the cheerleaders, asked Goodell 787 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:59,839 Speaker 1: and league lawyers have good faith meeting with at least 788 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:03,080 Speaker 1: four cheerleaders to create binding rules and regulations for all 789 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 1: NFL teams. Also, teams that currently have cheerleading squads would 790 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: not be allowed to disband them as retaliation for at 791 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,680 Speaker 1: least five years. And this really sounds like a classic 792 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:15,840 Speaker 1: workplace protections issue and just because their cheerleaders, that shouldn't 793 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: be treated any differently. Yeah, it sounds like a lot 794 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 1: of these women they understand the team's approach. No sex cells. 795 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:24,480 Speaker 1: If you it's a job where you have to look 796 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:26,879 Speaker 1: a certain way, and I think you know, a lot 797 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:29,440 Speaker 1: of them seem fine with that, and they seem like 798 00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: they're really enthusiastic supporters of cheerleading it out the team. 799 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,120 Speaker 1: But it just sounds like they're safety is just not 800 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:39,280 Speaker 1: even being considered. There's no league wide policy for security 801 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:40,840 Speaker 1: or a union to protect them. They're just they're just 802 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:43,240 Speaker 1: sort of on their own and they're dealing with really 803 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:46,920 Speaker 1: really fucked up labor practices, and they're supposed to just 804 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:51,680 Speaker 1: take it and like it and shut up about it. Yeah. Grateful, Yeah, 805 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: I mean that's actually what that's I'm happy that you 806 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,879 Speaker 1: said that, because I want to talk about how this 807 00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 1: culture of harassment functions on cheer leading squads. After this 808 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:11,919 Speaker 1: quick break and we're back and we were just talking 809 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:14,879 Speaker 1: about cheerleaders, So it sounds like there is a real 810 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 1: culture of harassment and an expectation that these women will 811 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 1: just suck it up, deal with it, and not make waves. 812 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: And I think a big part of that is this 813 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:26,880 Speaker 1: feeling that you should feel grateful and lucky to be 814 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:30,040 Speaker 1: a cheerleader, and that because we dang to have you 815 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:33,160 Speaker 1: joined the squad, you're one of picked, one of you know, 816 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,080 Speaker 1: a handful of women who would kill to be here, 817 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 1: you should just shut up and not make waves. And 818 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:42,200 Speaker 1: I think that that is a really toxic situation. Yeah, 819 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,560 Speaker 1: and just that feeling of um, you can be so 820 00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 1: easily replaced and if you fall out of line, we'll 821 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:52,000 Speaker 1: get rid of you. And there's so many women in 822 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:55,719 Speaker 1: line to take your place like that is not a 823 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,879 Speaker 1: good work environment. It's not a Dallas Caldway shoeleader, said 824 00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:01,800 Speaker 1: Mabe that huns of girls for this position. It was 825 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:04,759 Speaker 1: always very apparent, always there, there's always somebody else who 826 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:06,719 Speaker 1: can do this job. We never talked about these things, 827 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:09,400 Speaker 1: never questioned them. And even looking at the handbook that 828 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:12,200 Speaker 1: some of these athletes deal with, some of them make 829 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:15,160 Speaker 1: it very clear that they don't want you to make waves. 830 00:44:15,239 --> 00:44:18,760 Speaker 1: In the handbook for the Cincinnati Bengals cheerleaders, for example, 831 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:22,400 Speaker 1: they're pretty much sternly warned about in subordination in bold, 832 00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:26,520 Speaker 1: big capitalized letters. The handbook says, in subordination to even 833 00:44:26,520 --> 00:44:30,480 Speaker 1: the slightest degree all caps is absolutely not tolerated. You 834 00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:34,120 Speaker 1: will be benched or dismissed, said the handbook, with three 835 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:38,120 Speaker 1: exclamation points. That yeah, that's intense, and that's also unambiguous. 836 00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:40,880 Speaker 1: It's like very clear someone says do this, and you 837 00:44:40,920 --> 00:44:43,400 Speaker 1: think this is not this goes against my values or 838 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,000 Speaker 1: doesn't even me feel safe. It's right there in plain 839 00:44:46,120 --> 00:44:49,319 Speaker 1: day in subordination and even the slightest degree will get 840 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:53,080 Speaker 1: you dismissed. Like it's very clear, the slightest degree that 841 00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:57,600 Speaker 1: could be out so fa. I like, this would never 842 00:44:57,600 --> 00:45:02,280 Speaker 1: work for me. A law professor at Southern Methodist University 843 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:04,719 Speaker 1: said of that handbook. Language for the handbook to say 844 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: you can't question anyone an authority is to say, shut 845 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,560 Speaker 1: up and do as you're told. You're telling them in essence, 846 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:11,960 Speaker 1: don't bother complaining and because you may get fired. And 847 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:16,720 Speaker 1: that's up. Yeah, it really is. Uh. There's another report 848 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,080 Speaker 1: from the Dallas cow Girls. Um, the Dallas cow Girls 849 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 1: taught their cheerleaders and dancers what to say to people 850 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,480 Speaker 1: who said offensive things or touch them in appropriately. Like 851 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:27,360 Speaker 1: we were discussing earlier, the women were told never to 852 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:30,400 Speaker 1: upset the fans. We were taught if someone's getting handsy 853 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:32,800 Speaker 1: on you, how to navigate that, said the former longtime 854 00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:35,560 Speaker 1: Cowboys cheerleader. We were told what to say, like that's 855 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:38,520 Speaker 1: not very nice. To be sweet, not rude, say can 856 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:40,560 Speaker 1: I ask you to step over here? Use body language 857 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: to help deter the situation. Never be mean, never always courteous, 858 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:47,439 Speaker 1: because if it's not for the fans, we wouldn't be here. 859 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:50,480 Speaker 1: That's how we were supposed to think of this. Yeah, 860 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:54,319 Speaker 1: that just sounds so problematic to me because I think 861 00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:58,239 Speaker 1: as women, we are all sort of taught this language 862 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:00,800 Speaker 1: of how to what you called her or de escalate. 863 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:03,920 Speaker 1: And I wish I could say that any time a 864 00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:06,080 Speaker 1: man touched me in a way I didn't like that, 865 00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:08,399 Speaker 1: I punched him. It was not a tough bitch. But 866 00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: sometimes that's not safe, and sometimes you you as women, 867 00:46:11,160 --> 00:46:15,520 Speaker 1: I think that we are burdened by society by having 868 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:17,160 Speaker 1: to put up with something that makes you feel like 869 00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:19,200 Speaker 1: like nothing, that makes you feel disrespected, it makes you 870 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:22,080 Speaker 1: feel like less of a person, and then having to 871 00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:25,759 Speaker 1: react in a way that's still keeps their feelings at 872 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:27,640 Speaker 1: the at the front lines that you know you don't 873 00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:31,000 Speaker 1: want to make the matter or or insult them, so 874 00:46:31,040 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 1: you have to say that's not very nice, or giggle 875 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:37,160 Speaker 1: and move a hand away. And I just think that 876 00:46:38,000 --> 00:46:42,360 Speaker 1: as women telling a woman how to respond when someone 877 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,440 Speaker 1: does something that's like if someone grabs you, that's just. 878 00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:47,520 Speaker 1: And again, these women should have security, like no one 879 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:50,600 Speaker 1: should be no one should being grabbed against their will 880 00:46:50,680 --> 00:46:52,400 Speaker 1: when they're trying to do their job, these women, so 881 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:54,120 Speaker 1: there should be something in place to make sure that's 882 00:46:54,160 --> 00:46:56,719 Speaker 1: not happening. And who gives it? What the fan things? 883 00:46:56,760 --> 00:46:59,200 Speaker 1: I mean, if a fan is slapping someone on the 884 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:01,680 Speaker 1: ass and they're drunk. They shouldn't be in a public 885 00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:04,240 Speaker 1: setting like that. They need they need to be kicked 886 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:06,520 Speaker 1: out or escorted out, Like yeah, I just think it's 887 00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:09,520 Speaker 1: it's clear that they're bending over backward to protect the 888 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:15,920 Speaker 1: feelings of the fans while putting their their employees at risk. Yeah, 889 00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:20,440 Speaker 1: and it sends a message of kind of yeah, this 890 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 1: is what we value this more than this, and that's 891 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:27,640 Speaker 1: as a person, not a good feeling to have and 892 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:31,719 Speaker 1: um to tolerate that kind of behaviors too. It just 893 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:35,040 Speaker 1: sends a message that is not a message that should 894 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:39,760 Speaker 1: be sent. You're worth less than this. Yeah, your dignity, 895 00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:43,360 Speaker 1: both as our our valued employee and as a human 896 00:47:43,600 --> 00:47:48,000 Speaker 1: king being is less important than this drunk guy's sucking ego. 897 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:51,960 Speaker 1: And then it's depression king sensibilities like heaven forbid he 898 00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:55,360 Speaker 1: feel offended they slapping someone's ass or grabbing someone against 899 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:59,920 Speaker 1: their will out of goddamn football game, just thinking this, 900 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: this isn't even I'm not even cheerleader, and I'm like 901 00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:05,960 Speaker 1: angry on these women's behalf. I know the cheerleaders and 902 00:48:06,000 --> 00:48:08,680 Speaker 1: dancers in Dallas, as in most NFL stadiums, were required 903 00:48:08,719 --> 00:48:11,720 Speaker 1: to visit tailgate parties and that's I mean, and areas 904 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,719 Speaker 1: that are essentially standing room only bars. They visited high 905 00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:17,919 Speaker 1: price at luxury suites and came to dread certain ones. 906 00:48:18,960 --> 00:48:20,879 Speaker 1: You knew the alcohol was flowing and that they could 907 00:48:20,920 --> 00:48:23,560 Speaker 1: be handy, she said, arms around the waist, kisses on 908 00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:25,880 Speaker 1: the cheek. You know that they would and you couldn't 909 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:30,120 Speaker 1: say anything. And if they did object, quote, you'd be 910 00:48:30,160 --> 00:48:34,680 Speaker 1: dismissed from the team. Yeah. That just boils my blood 911 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:36,920 Speaker 1: and breaks my heart to feel like you are a 912 00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:39,120 Speaker 1: professional and that you have to just this is just 913 00:48:39,160 --> 00:48:42,040 Speaker 1: part of the job, being groped and kissed, and if 914 00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:45,239 Speaker 1: you have a problem with it, you're out. Yeah, all 915 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:48,080 Speaker 1: that training, we don't care. Um. And one of the 916 00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: ways that this has been allowed to go on for 917 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:53,680 Speaker 1: so long is with the use of India's so a 918 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:56,480 Speaker 1: lot of teams require their cheerleaders to sign non disclosure 919 00:48:56,520 --> 00:48:59,279 Speaker 1: agreements or NDAs, and this apparently raises a big red 920 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:02,440 Speaker 1: flag that herrassment it's likely to take place now. According 921 00:49:02,480 --> 00:49:05,040 Speaker 1: to Deborah Cats, who is a Washington based lawyer who 922 00:49:05,040 --> 00:49:08,040 Speaker 1: has three decades of experience bringing sexual harassment cases to light. 923 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:11,080 Speaker 1: She says When employees of little power sign NDA s, 924 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 1: it creates an environment or sexual harassment or improper pay 925 00:49:14,239 --> 00:49:17,480 Speaker 1: can proceed because people are fearful of speaking out. Anytime 926 00:49:17,520 --> 00:49:19,600 Speaker 1: you have a profession or an industry where sexual harassment 927 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:22,800 Speaker 1: can be anticipated, putting someone under an NDA is designed 928 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:25,600 Speaker 1: to clearly protect the image of the team. And that's 929 00:49:25,600 --> 00:49:27,120 Speaker 1: really why a lot of these women feel like they 930 00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:31,520 Speaker 1: can't report yeah, and they rarely do report harassment cases, 931 00:49:31,560 --> 00:49:34,200 Speaker 1: either because they feel it is an expected part of 932 00:49:34,200 --> 00:49:35,879 Speaker 1: the job or out of fear of being removed from 933 00:49:35,880 --> 00:49:39,319 Speaker 1: the team for complaining. For countless women who have worked 934 00:49:39,360 --> 00:49:42,000 Speaker 1: for teams of the years, the Statute of Limitations, which 935 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:46,480 Speaker 1: varies by state, has most like most likely expired handbooks 936 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:49,719 Speaker 1: and contracts provided to cheerleaders really have detailed information on 937 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:53,680 Speaker 1: how to handle or report harassment from fans beyond legal 938 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:57,120 Speaker 1: boiler plate. The San Francisco forty Niners who outsourced oversight 939 00:49:57,239 --> 00:50:00,800 Speaker 1: of their gold Rush cheerleaders to a third party. Another 940 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:04,040 Speaker 1: possible complication to claims made against some teams include this 941 00:50:04,120 --> 00:50:07,680 Speaker 1: line in the contract. If there is ever a case 942 00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:10,120 Speaker 1: where you feel uncomfortable or a sense of fan that 943 00:50:10,239 --> 00:50:14,319 Speaker 1: is acting inappropriately, please get immediate assistance or contact your 944 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:19,880 Speaker 1: director immediately and she will notify the security authorities. But 945 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:23,440 Speaker 1: that's nothing, that's not that's not helpful. I mean, it 946 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:29,120 Speaker 1: just sounds like a very unmeaningful boiler plate line. And 947 00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 1: it also kind of, at least to me, has this 948 00:50:32,120 --> 00:50:37,000 Speaker 1: five of if you do that, you're being a baby, 949 00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:41,640 Speaker 1: or like you're just complaining and you're causing trouble and 950 00:50:41,719 --> 00:50:47,160 Speaker 1: making waves and exactly. And I guess, yeah, who wants 951 00:50:47,160 --> 00:50:50,600 Speaker 1: to be the cheerleader who is known for quote causing trouble? Right, Like, Like, 952 00:50:51,080 --> 00:50:54,879 Speaker 1: it doesn't sound like a situation where these claims will 953 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:58,000 Speaker 1: be dealt with in a manner that is that it 954 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:01,560 Speaker 1: will mean anything other than trouble for you for reporting it, right, 955 00:51:02,120 --> 00:51:06,520 Speaker 1: And it probably will impact if they are choosing to 956 00:51:06,719 --> 00:51:09,879 Speaker 1: throw some extra work or extra money to a cheerleader's way, 957 00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:13,320 Speaker 1: they probably wouldn't throw it to you if you complain 958 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:16,799 Speaker 1: about something exactly. And I think I keep thinking about 959 00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:19,040 Speaker 1: what we're talking about before this idea that you know, 960 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:22,000 Speaker 1: these women are prevented from posing in in swimsuits on 961 00:51:22,000 --> 00:51:24,120 Speaker 1: their own personal Instagram accounts and stuff like that, that that 962 00:51:24,600 --> 00:51:27,960 Speaker 1: it's clear to me that these women are in situations 963 00:51:28,040 --> 00:51:32,560 Speaker 1: where the power holders are the males who own these teams, 964 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:37,360 Speaker 1: and that these people want complete control over the sexual 965 00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:41,680 Speaker 1: agency of of adult human women. Like it, just when 966 00:51:41,719 --> 00:51:45,359 Speaker 1: you become a cheerleader, your job is to cheer, it's 967 00:51:45,400 --> 00:51:47,160 Speaker 1: to dance, it's to do the things that are in 968 00:51:47,239 --> 00:51:51,200 Speaker 1: your contract. And to say you can't, you don't. You're 969 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:54,600 Speaker 1: not signing away your sexual sense of self, your self worth, 970 00:51:54,640 --> 00:51:57,000 Speaker 1: your agency. No one should be put in a situation 971 00:51:57,120 --> 00:52:00,120 Speaker 1: where they feel like they don't have control over their 972 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:03,880 Speaker 1: bodily and autonomy and that their own sexual identity and 973 00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:06,759 Speaker 1: sexual agency and expressions of that that belongs to each 974 00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:08,719 Speaker 1: and every one of us. And it's very clear to 975 00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:11,600 Speaker 1: me that in this really like draconian way, that the 976 00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:13,719 Speaker 1: NFL wants to be in charge of that, to the 977 00:52:13,719 --> 00:52:15,440 Speaker 1: point where they tell you how often to change your 978 00:52:15,440 --> 00:52:19,200 Speaker 1: goddamn tampa like a like like that is what? What 979 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:23,440 Speaker 1: is this? It's it's infuriating, but it also is so 980 00:52:23,560 --> 00:52:27,080 Speaker 1: disgusting and so specific, and so I almost sort of 981 00:52:27,080 --> 00:52:29,840 Speaker 1: don't even know what to make of it, you know, Yeah, 982 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:35,399 Speaker 1: it's it's a weird, warped image projection almost of what 983 00:52:35,640 --> 00:52:38,920 Speaker 1: the ultimate I keep thinking of that, um, if you 984 00:52:39,040 --> 00:52:41,920 Speaker 1: farge or sneeze or burp, even if you think someone's 985 00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:45,480 Speaker 1: is not around you, excuse me. And it's like a 986 00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:48,560 Speaker 1: weird image of women. Don't do those things that, Like 987 00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:51,640 Speaker 1: it's this almost kind of Barbie doll or Yeah, it's 988 00:52:51,640 --> 00:52:55,439 Speaker 1: like they're trying to make them not human women. And 989 00:52:55,600 --> 00:52:58,759 Speaker 1: they're also sort of feeding in this idea that you 990 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:02,680 Speaker 1: are always being watched and consumed and even when you're 991 00:53:02,719 --> 00:53:05,320 Speaker 1: alone in your apartment, if you burp alone in your apartment, 992 00:53:05,400 --> 00:53:09,080 Speaker 1: or if you do a normal bodily function while you're alone, 993 00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:12,600 Speaker 1: assume you were being watched and consumed by a male 994 00:53:12,680 --> 00:53:15,040 Speaker 1: gaze in that moment. You can never escape the mail gaze, 995 00:53:15,080 --> 00:53:17,520 Speaker 1: even when you're alone in your goddamn home. Like that. 996 00:53:17,520 --> 00:53:21,160 Speaker 1: That seems to be what they're saying, and it's so weird. Yeah, 997 00:53:21,880 --> 00:53:26,920 Speaker 1: it's a very toxic mix of etiquette that feels like 998 00:53:26,960 --> 00:53:30,319 Speaker 1: it's from back when there's eighteen hundreds and women had 999 00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:33,200 Speaker 1: all those weird etiquette rules they had to follow, and 1000 00:53:33,239 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 1: then this hyper sexualization got together and had a baby. 1001 00:53:38,320 --> 00:53:41,000 Speaker 1: This is so it results from it. It was very 1002 00:53:41,080 --> 00:53:43,920 Speaker 1: strange some of the I read. I think it was 1003 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:48,200 Speaker 1: the the Jills. Their handbook was released online and it 1004 00:53:48,320 --> 00:53:50,799 Speaker 1: was older, but just reading it felt like I was 1005 00:53:50,840 --> 00:53:59,000 Speaker 1: reading something from eighteen fifties, like etiquette books. It is bizarre, 1006 00:53:59,040 --> 00:54:02,919 Speaker 1: and it's like it's this bizarre abstraction of femininity that 1007 00:54:03,280 --> 00:54:07,360 Speaker 1: doesn't really exist because women fart, women gain weight, women poop. 1008 00:54:07,560 --> 00:54:09,680 Speaker 1: We eat a lot of bread out of this. Sometimes 1009 00:54:10,320 --> 00:54:12,600 Speaker 1: sometimes we're busy and we change your tampon not every 1010 00:54:12,640 --> 00:54:15,839 Speaker 1: four hours. Yeah, yeah, we we do these things where 1011 00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:18,160 Speaker 1: people were human, you know. And it's this idea that 1012 00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:21,440 Speaker 1: when you sign up to be a cheerleader that you're 1013 00:54:21,520 --> 00:54:23,799 Speaker 1: less than human, like your human your humanity is no 1014 00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:26,560 Speaker 1: longer acknowledge because you've signed that a way, and that's 1015 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:28,520 Speaker 1: not real. That's not true, Like you don't sign these 1016 00:54:28,520 --> 00:54:30,399 Speaker 1: things away when you become a cheerleader. And I think 1017 00:54:30,400 --> 00:54:34,360 Speaker 1: that because it's beautiful women in short skirts, we just 1018 00:54:34,440 --> 00:54:37,640 Speaker 1: accept that that it's normal. But it's weird, like when 1019 00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:39,719 Speaker 1: you when you run down the list of all the 1020 00:54:39,719 --> 00:54:41,319 Speaker 1: things they say that these women aren't allowed to do, 1021 00:54:41,760 --> 00:54:44,600 Speaker 1: it's bizarre. And if you if it was any other job, 1022 00:54:44,640 --> 00:54:47,439 Speaker 1: you'd be like no, I when I like, my job 1023 00:54:47,480 --> 00:54:49,480 Speaker 1: is to work for you and do the tod I 1024 00:54:49,480 --> 00:54:52,359 Speaker 1: say I'm gonna do and then go home where you know, 1025 00:54:53,040 --> 00:54:56,000 Speaker 1: live my life, and it's just it would be. It's so. 1026 00:54:56,280 --> 00:54:57,799 Speaker 1: I think it's not all jobs are like that, because 1027 00:54:57,800 --> 00:54:59,880 Speaker 1: there are jobs where you know you can't do some 1028 00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:03,840 Speaker 1: and things. But it just seems so strange that in 1029 00:55:03,960 --> 00:55:07,600 Speaker 1: order to wave pom poms and dance on a football field, 1030 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:10,520 Speaker 1: that they are dictating how much bread you can eat 1031 00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:15,040 Speaker 1: at a party. Just it's just it's bizarre. It is. 1032 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:18,360 Speaker 1: I read this article by this great writer, Kavithia A. 1033 00:55:18,600 --> 00:55:22,439 Speaker 1: Davidson on espn W called NFL cheerleaders must be able 1034 00:55:22,480 --> 00:55:24,920 Speaker 1: to control their own sex appeal, which I think really 1035 00:55:24,960 --> 00:55:29,160 Speaker 1: really nails this sort of bizarre describancy. She writes, these 1036 00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:32,239 Speaker 1: women are choosing to use their sexual capital in their jobs, 1037 00:55:32,280 --> 00:55:34,920 Speaker 1: but they have little choice over how that value is 1038 00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:37,880 Speaker 1: used by their employers. Teams have dictated when cheerleaders can 1039 00:55:38,000 --> 00:55:41,000 Speaker 1: dress a certain way when it suits their needs, without 1040 00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:43,200 Speaker 1: allowing them freedom of movement when they're off the clock. 1041 00:55:43,560 --> 00:55:46,000 Speaker 1: It's a problem that stems from a conflict central to 1042 00:55:46,080 --> 00:55:49,160 Speaker 1: our culture. Men want women to exist as pretty things 1043 00:55:49,160 --> 00:55:52,879 Speaker 1: for their entertainment, but only on their terms. Oftentimes, men 1044 00:55:52,920 --> 00:55:55,279 Speaker 1: would like to simply gaun at them without having to 1045 00:55:55,320 --> 00:55:58,680 Speaker 1: think about pesky issues such as fair wage practices, not 1046 00:55:58,760 --> 00:56:02,280 Speaker 1: thinking these women are entitled to protections, but they think 1047 00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:06,280 Speaker 1: they're entitled to these women's bodies. I think that nails 1048 00:56:06,320 --> 00:56:09,080 Speaker 1: it for me. Yeah, you hit it right on the 1049 00:56:09,680 --> 00:56:12,480 Speaker 1: on the head. I think men want to live in 1050 00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:15,080 Speaker 1: a world where you get to consume women's bodies and 1051 00:56:15,360 --> 00:56:17,840 Speaker 1: you feel entitled to women's bodies, but you don't have 1052 00:56:17,880 --> 00:56:20,840 Speaker 1: to deal with any of the realities of what that 1053 00:56:20,960 --> 00:56:23,920 Speaker 1: what that means, whether it's pay me for that fine 1054 00:56:24,080 --> 00:56:27,440 Speaker 1: and pay me compensate me fairly for that, or I 1055 00:56:27,440 --> 00:56:32,640 Speaker 1: am a human being who farts, it eats bread, You're 1056 00:56:32,680 --> 00:56:36,160 Speaker 1: gonna have to deal with it. I'm gonna do both 1057 00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:40,680 Speaker 1: of those things all the time. They're kind of connected 1058 00:56:40,800 --> 00:56:43,080 Speaker 1: a little bit. Oh just bread, give you gas. You 1059 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:48,520 Speaker 1: would know food stuff. I not because you fart a lot, 1060 00:56:48,560 --> 00:56:51,360 Speaker 1: because you host a podcast about food. I like the 1061 00:56:51,400 --> 00:56:54,359 Speaker 1: mechanics of food. Just to be clear, I'm not saying 1062 00:56:54,360 --> 00:57:01,200 Speaker 1: that any firms a lot in this show. Because it's 1063 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:06,520 Speaker 1: really getting bad. Let's let's wrap this up. I can breathe. Yeah, 1064 00:57:06,600 --> 00:57:09,440 Speaker 1: So that's what we had to say about cheerleaders listeners, 1065 00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:11,960 Speaker 1: we would love to hear from you, especially if you 1066 00:57:12,080 --> 00:57:16,440 Speaker 1: have cheerleaded our cheerleading, have any experience in this or whatever. 1067 00:57:16,600 --> 00:57:18,800 Speaker 1: We love hearing from you all the time. You can 1068 00:57:18,880 --> 00:57:21,880 Speaker 1: contact us on Instagram at stuff mom Never Told You Are, 1069 00:57:21,960 --> 00:57:24,800 Speaker 1: on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcasts, or you can always 1070 00:57:24,800 --> 00:57:27,320 Speaker 1: email us at mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com. 1071 00:57:27,360 --> 00:57:30,680 Speaker 1: And I especially can't wait to hear from Alternate Rocket Annie, 1072 00:57:30,920 --> 00:57:33,800 Speaker 1: so please definitely help me get my life on track. 1073 00:57:33,880 --> 00:57:36,400 Speaker 1: Alternate Annie help her get her NFL team names right.