Image source: Visual China
Having a beautiful appearance and graceful dance moves, joining the cheerleading team of their favorite team, is the dream of many American girls – as the former captain of the NFL New Orleans Saints cheerleading team, Bailey Davis is one of the enviable members.
However, Bailey Davis’ experience shows that the treatment of cheerleading beauties is not so glamorous. Recently, the New Orleans Saints fired him after Bailey Davis posted a somewhat revealing photo on the social media platform Instagram.
Photos posted by Bailey Davis
Although Bailey Davis claimed that she had set privacy protection for this photo at the time of posting, it was only visible to her friends. But when the team learned about this, they decisively fired him for violating the rule that cheerleaders are not allowed to post exposed photos on social media.
At the same time, the New Orleans Saints added another “charge” – Barry Davis had multiple private dates and dinners with club players, which was another reason for his dismissal.
Bailey Davis immediately filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Commission, accusing the New Orleans Saints of having gender inequality rules. She accused that one set of rules was for women in cheerleading roles, and another set of rules was for men in player roles, with typical gender discrimination and overbearing clauses.
The New Orleans Saints countered that Davis’ release of overly sexy photos greatly affected the team’s image. In addition, she had appeared at gatherings of Saint players and had too close a private relationship with them, which violated the team’s cheerleading code of conduct.
The dispute between the two sides is still inconclusive, and NFL officials have refused to comment. This seemingly small-scale dispute has attracted a lot of attention, as The New York Times exposed some of the strict regulations imposed by North American professional teams on cheerleaders.
Image source: Visual China
In fact, the earliest cheerleading team appeared in the 1920s, originating from American football games. This sports accessory derived from American sports has gradually become a necessity and beautiful scenery of professional leagues, in order to enhance the atmosphere of the venue during free time.
Cheerleaders have long working hours, with more than 8 hours of rehearsal time per week. In addition, they must perform on stage on home game days and regularly participate in community and charity activities. A former NBA cheerleader revealed that if rehearsals, fitness, and performances are all included, their weekly working hours can reach up to 40 hours.
Obviously, becoming a member of the cheerleading squad is not just about having a beautiful face and a hot figure. They must undergo high difficulty training in movements such as lifts, flips, and leaps. A report from the Catastrophic Sports Injury Research Center in the United States has shown that the injury rate of female cheerleaders is even higher than that of NFL players every year, and their careers generally do not exceed 5 years.
Every season, I feel like I’m working two jobs at the same time, with only some rest time in February each year, “said Tiffany Monroe, a former cheerleader for the NFL Philadelphia Eagles.
Many teams are attempting to strictly control the private lives of cheerleaders by restricting social media activities; Limiting the selection of dates and social partners; Smoking, drinking, cursing, and chewing gum are not allowed in public places; Prohibit private contact with players; Even nail polish and jewelry are under strict control from the team.
Even more stringent is that in order to perfectly showcase their team uniforms, cheerleaders are required to wear underwear under their shorts and must wear bras with a raised chest, and exposing their belly button is almost a clothing convention. In addition, the team has specific regulations on the weight of cheerleaders, with a risk of dismissal if the weight fluctuates by more than 3 pounds.
I can’t imagine another career field where employers would exert such a degree of control over their subordinates, even extending their tentacles beyond their work, “said Leslie Levy, a lawyer in the relevant field.
At the game venue, the team often requires cheerleaders to walk into the crowd of fans, which is considered to be using “color” to promote the team. Every girl is afraid of this, we are thrown into the midst of fans and surrounded by a group of drunk fans, “Bailey Davis said,” afraid of suddenly being sexually assaulted
However, cheerleading salaries are not high.
In 2015, a cheerleader from the NBA Milwaukee Bucks sued the team for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Wisconsin Salary Act. She claimed that the team members only received a salary of $65 for one game, in addition to $30 for one practice session and $50 for one special performance.
A cheerleader who has played for both the NBA and NFL stated that the salary for the Golden State Warriors is $12 per hour, while the monthly salary for the NFL Raiders is only $1200.
A large number of cheerleaders are still complaining that they have not received corresponding salary compensation for the time they spend on training. Over the years, there have been numerous lawsuits filed by the North American Professional League regarding cheerleading salaries. Therefore, most cheerleaders have other jobs to supplement their income.
As for why she still pursued this career, Tiffany Monroe, a former cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles, said, “I didn’t do it for money. I think others should think the same way. It’s more because of my love for dance, as well as my love for football and modeling.” For the same reason, cheerleading selection for professional football teams in the United States is still quite intense today.
It is worth noting that some teams have already made changes.
At the end of March this year, two male dancers were discovered during the cheerleading selection of the NFL Los Angeles Rams, both of whom passed the assessment, making the team the first in league history to have male cheerleaders. Breaking through gender restrictions, for cheerleaders, is an attempt to change some unreasonable stereotypes and old norms.
