RECKONING

Former Houston Texans Cheerleaders Claim Sex Discrimination in Lawsuit

The cheerleaders say they were denied fair pay and were subject to a hostile work environment.

Five former Houston Texans Cheerleaders have brought new lawsuits against the NFL team alleging unfair pay, gender discrimination, and a hostile work environment, according to a Friday afternoon press conference. Lawyer Gloria Allred claimed that the cheerleaders were “discriminated against because of their gender” and denied a “fair wage.” Former cheerleader Kelly Neuner said that she had to “accept unpaid working hours” if she wanted to remain on the team, and said the Texans “did not care about my rights as a person, as a woman, and as a part of a team.” Hannah Turnbow claimed she was “attacked by a fan” during her time as a cheerleader and was “told to suck it up” by the Texans. Another former cheerleader, Ainsley Parish, said the team told her what to do in her “personal time” and claimed she was rebuffed by the Texans when she brought up salary issues. “We are more than pretty faces in a cheer uniform,” Turnbow said. “We are a team to be reckoned with.”