In a damning glance behind the NFL curtain, an ex-Miami Dolphins cheerleader is slamming her former employer for fostering an environment where she was routinely ridiculed and made fun of for her strong Christian beliefs.
Kristan Ware, who spent three seasons as a cheerleader for the Dolphins, filed the complaint on Thursday with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, per The New York Times.
Ware’s complaint has become the latest issue to arise from the NFL’s cheerleading sorority.
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Former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis filed a complaint citing unfair double standards being applied to female NFL employees. But while Davis’ complaint focused primarily on a specific instance of social media use, Ware’s ordeal seems to have been much more of an ongoing affair.
According to Ware, she was ridiculed and mocked by the Dolphins cheerleading director, Dorie Grogan, when images surfaced of Davis being baptized.
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Ware’s experiences mark an overarching theme that many devout Christians have learned, which is that Christianity seems to be one of the only things not protected by political correctness. Sadly for Ware, her direct superior making fun of her baptism turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Ware also alleges that she was consistently tormented and made fun of by coaches over the fact that she was a virgin and wanted to wait until marriage before having sex.
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When Ware first brought up these issues, she was mortified when it seemed like she was the one getting in trouble, not her tormentors. She recalls that when she was called into her coach’s office to discuss the issues, Ware was the one being told that she could no longer talk about her decision to forego premarital sex.
“It was like a bus hit me,” Ware told The Washington Post. “I was completely speechless. All that formed on my face were tears.”
Ware also opened up about how marginalized and replaceable she was made to feel by her bosses.
“There is a sense of manipulation, where any time you raised a concern, it was like, ‘All we need is a pretty girl to wear the uniform. You’re completely replaceable, so if you have a problem with it, leave. One hundred other girls want your spot,’” Ware said.
In another instance, Ware recollects that she had to wear an angel-winged bikini for a fashion show, “something Ware believes was a poke at her virginity,” according to The Times.
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Another big issue that Ware mentioned in her complaint was an alleged double standard. She says she wasn’t allowed to bring up her faith whatsoever, while the Dolphins had a team chaplain for the actual football players.
Ware alleged that even when she was writing something for the Dolphins cheerleader blog, editors would scrub virtually all mentions of her faith, save for a brief mention of God.
If Ware’s allegations are true, it’s another PR nightmare that the NFL can ill afford amid declining ratings and public perception. Muzzling, mocking or ridiculing a Christian for their strong beliefs would be as much of an issue for the NFL as national anthem controversies and player arrests.
Ware, who’s being represented by Sara Blackwell, is asking for arbitration from the Florida commission, as well as a hearing with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
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