No Longer Anonymous, Former N.F.L. Cheerleaders Demand More to Protect Women

Visits: 2

Ms. Cummings, 31, and Ms. Cassidy, 29, said those changes, while welcome, fell short of their expectations of broader moves to eliminate the culture of harassment, such as the removal of the program’s leadership that intimidated cheerleaders into silence.

Although a Redskins executive who oversaw the cheerleading program resigned after the Times article was published, the team director, Stephanie Jojokian, who the women said had orchestrated the events where harassment occurred, is still with the team. The Redskins said she was unavailable for comment, but in the past she has denied putting any cheerleader in harm’s way.

Both women said they were surprised Ms. Jojokian has kept her job.

Across the N.F.L. several teams have made adjustments to their programs after the reports about the Redskins, and allegations of improprieties within other teams, came to light. A handful of lawsuits and legal complaints have been filed against at least four teams this year, claiming harassment, unfair wages and unequal treatment.

The New York Jets, which in 2016 paid to settle a class-action lawsuit with its cheerleaders over wages, added more modest uniforms that look like what high school cheerleaders might wear, including one-piece dresses that cover cheerleaders’ bellies and cleavage. Two teams, the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints, added male cheerleaders, but neither team made them available for interviews with The Times. The Saints also changed to uniforms with more coverage and discontinued their annual swimsuit calendar.

The league’s front office has sought to keep the turmoil at an arm’s distance, saying the cheerleader programs operate independent of the N.F.L., although several league representatives have met with Sara Davis, a lawyer for some of the cheerleaders, after she asked the league to make binding rules for the programs. No agreement has been reached.

“We’ve certainly worked with the clubs and encouraged them to review their programs,” said Brian McCarthy, a league spokesman.

Ms. Cummings, however, said that the N.F.L. wasn’t doing enough.

“The changes some teams are making right now are just Band-Aids to hide the really serious issues, like better pay and a safer workplace,” she said. “It’s time for the N.F.L. to basically man up, stop looking the other way and start treating women the right way.”

Go to Source