Is being a cheerleader for an NFL team all it really seems??

If you are an NFL football fanatic like myself, you tune in every Thurs, Sun and Mon to watch these guys play and you root and cheer for you favorite team! There are the players, the fans, the mascot and then there are the beautiful cheerleaders representing the team! These ladies put in work to cheer the players on and hype up the crowd. These ladies represent the glam side of the NFL, or do they??
After watching Bryant Gumbel Real Sports on HBO, I was taken aback at how NFL cheerleaders are really treated. I have always thought they had the best thing going..... Cheering for an NFL team, making appearances, doing fundraisers, etc. They always seem happy and in control. But control seems to be the last thing they had.
In order to be an NFL cheerleader there are certain requirements you must meet. Sure...every job has "rules" just as this one does. The ladies were required to maintain appearances. Hair had to be a certain way. Make up guidelines had to be followed. Even a guideline to how often the women were required to change their tampon!! Yes.....Blank stare!!
 You have to audition or "try out" for the team. Once selected you sign a contract and you are officially a cheerleader for said team. But is it really all that it seems.  Several ladies have stepped up and filed lawsuits against different teams regarding the low pay they have received.  In most cases the pay averaged $125.00 per home game.  So if you average around 10 home games in a season then you can maybe say before taxes they make $1200 bucks. Keep in mind this is NOT including required workouts, special appearances, photo shoots, practices, etc.  In some cases the ladies are required to provide their own pantyhose and makeup. They are also responsible for paying for salon visits and any other beauty regimens. In some cases the ladies were spending more than they were

making just to be a cheerleader.  One cheerleader even stated that she could make more serving hot dogs and beverages in the concession stands verses being on the field cheering for the team! Even the mascots for teams average $30k- $60k a year.... so why is it that these glamorous women are making such low wages? Is it because in fact that's all they are....... just glamorous specimens? In one lawsuit against the Raiders, it was concluded that the Raiders were exempt from paying its cheerleaders minimum wage, since they are considered “seasonal amusement". Really??!!??  So therefore they are not even worthy of being paid minimum wage!!??!!  What do you think? Should these women be paid more?? Should women rights activist get involved?? Below are a few articles that give a more detailed look into the lawsuits and why these cheerleaders feel they should be paid more!!

Tell me what you think! Be sure to comment below :)



http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/28/news/cheerleader-wage-lawsuits/index.html
http://time.com/44069/cheerleaders-rebel-over-low-wages/