Former Washington Football Team cheerleaders are calling on the NFL to release the full results of its investigation into the franchise’s workplace culture. The poor women have had to deal with finding out inappropriate photos of squad members were secretly distributed by coaches via email.
The alleged photos were discovered in emails reported by the New York Times on Monday, which exposed Raiders head coach Jon Gruden for using racist, homophobic and misogynistic language. Gruden has since resigned from his head coaching position.
According to Washington cheerleaders, who spoke with the Daily Beast on Tuesday, emails showing images of topless cheerleaders from a past swimsuit photo-shoot video were allegedly passed around by Gruden to then-Washington general manager Bruce Allen. The emails included inappropriate language and “photos of women wearing only bikini bottoms, including one photo of two Washington team cheerleaders,” according to the New York Times.
“It’s despicable, really, to see that there is more evidence of exploitation and violation of these cheerleaders who I worked very closely with,” said Melanie Coburn, a cheerleader for the Washington Football Team cheerleader for four years and the squad’s marketing director for 10.
“They’re now coming out wondering, ‘What the hell, it’s more than just these two videos,’” she said. “I can only imagine how they feel, and they have no voice.”
Coburn started a petition in February that called on the league to release the report publicly and reinstate the cheerleading squad, which was changed to a co-ed dance squad following the settlement.
“I know that there’s a lot more where these emails came from.”
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Lacy Thibodeaux-Fields, a former cheerleader for the Raiders, echoed Coburn’s message, saying, “Everyone that pays and supports the NFL deserves to know what kind of people are running the show and what they’re supporting,” she said.
She said the latest email scandal involving Gruden was further evidence of a “misogynistic, racist, very sexist culture.”
“It’s just more anxiety-producing evidence that very private, compromising content was circulating not just amongst our team but apparently the entire NFL. So it’s been an emotional 24 hours, to say the least,” Coburn told the website.
The NFL’s investigation into the franchise’s culture and workplace initially concluded in July, resulting in a $10 million fine against the team. So far, only Gruden and Adam Schefter have come under fire.
