NFL Cheerleaders Discrimination Case Reveals Wild Rules Dancers Allegedly Must Follow
Former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis has filed a discrimination case against her old t..
Former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis has filed a discrimination case against her old team, and has alleged the team has some crazy rules.
Davis lost her job as a cheerleader after she posted a semi-revealing photo on Instagram, and was accused of attending a party with Saints players. The New York Times reported the following:
But when she posted a photo of herself in a one-piece outfit in January, Saints officials accused her, despite her protests, of breaking rules that prohibit cheerleaders from appearing nude, seminude or in lingerie. For this indiscretion, and amid an inquiry about her attending a party with Saints players — another regulation that she denies violating — Davis was fired after what she said were three largely trouble-free seasons.
Now Davis has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that enforces civil rights laws.
You can see the photo in question below.
Former @NFL cheerleader @Bailey_Davis4 says she was fired for posting THIS photo. Should you be able to be fired for whats on your personal social media pages? Lets discuss on @TODAYshowpic.twitter.com/yevQlqkh6B
— Morgan Radford (@MorganRadford) March 27, 2018
The most interesting part of the whole New York Times write up on the situation are the rules about players dining at the same restaurants as players. Theyre absolutely bananas:
Cheerleaders are told not to dine in the same restaurant as players, or speak to them in any detail. If a Saints cheerleader enters a restaurant and a player is already there, she must leave. If a cheerleader is in a restaurant and a player arrives afterward, she must leave.
This is absolutely crazy if its true. Cheerleaders have to leave a restaurant if a player shows up? Are you kidding me? Are we living in the mid-1800s or something? Heres a fun fact that will blow a lot of your minds. Most professional athletes are not impressive people outside of athletics, and all women arent instantly attracted to them simply because they play a sport. I know that it sounds absolutely crazy, but its one hundred percent true.
The idea cheerleaders should be expected to void their personal lives simply because a player shows up at the same location is outrageous. Now, Im not saying cheerleaders and players should be encouraged to rage together. Thats probably not wise, but having cheerleaders have their nights ruined over players arriving to eat at the same place is one of the craziest things Ive ever heard of. How little do the Saints apparently think of their players and cheerleaders that they cant trust them to be at the same location together? If you dont trust your employees to be in the same location together in their own time, I suggest you find some new employees.
Would a coach be expected to leave? How about a janitor or somebody who works at the concession stands? What the guy who calls the play-by-play for the team? The answer is an obvious and resounding no. These rules say a lot more about Saints management and its views of the players than it does about anybody else. Sad!
