Cheerleaders Accuse The Washington Redskins of ‘Pimping Us Out’
The New York Times reported that Washington Redskins cheerleaders were put in potentially unsafe situations during a 2013 photo shoot in Costa Rica. The photo shoot was held at the adults-only Occidental Grand Papagayo resort on Culebra Bay.
Here is the article that has put the Redskins organization in a sticky situation.
Multiple former Washington Redskins cheerleaders spoke to the New York Times about a trip to Costa Rica back in 2013, where they were required to be topless for a calendar shoot and “picked” to be personal escorts. The photographs used for the calendar would not show nudity.
According to The New York Times, the Redskins invited sponsors and FedExField suite holders to the photo shoot. Those who accepted the invitation to Costa Rica just so happened to be all men.
There were no reports of sexual activity on the trip but the cheerleaders admitted feeling as though the Redskins were “pimping us out.”
The Times reported, “It’s just not right to send cheerleaders out with strange men when some of the girls clearly don’t want to go,” one of the women told the paper. “But unfortunately, I feel like it won’t change until something terrible happens, like a girl is assaulted in some way, or raped. I think teams will start paying attention to this only when it’s too late.”
This was not the first time sponsors have been with the Redskins cheerleaders. The Times also elaborated on an annual boating trip that the cheerleaders had to attend, with sponsors. Some of the cheerleaders summarized the 2012 trip as “a wild gathering, where men shot liquor into the cheerleaders’ mouths with turkey basters. Below the deck, men handed out cash prizes in twerking contests.”
The Redskins responded to The New York Times.
“The Redskins’ cheerleader program is one of the NFL’s premier teams in participation, professionalism and community service,” the team said. “Each Redskin cheerleader is contractually protected to ensure a safe and constructive environment. The work our cheerleaders do in our community, visiting our troops abroad and supporting our team on the field is something the Redskins organization and our fans take great pride in.”
