The NFL has dealt poorly with several crises over the past few seasons.
Anti-American anthem protests, concussions, poor officiating, and declining viewership are all trending in the wrong direction.
While anthem protesters disrespect the country and claim victim status—and then get applauded for it, one NFL cheerleader faced unbelievable discrimination.
Kristan Ann Ware, a devout Christian, was allegedly harassed by the Miami Dolphins cheerleading coaches for speaking openly about her virginity.
From CBS Sports:
A former Miami Dolphins cheerleader is filing a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, alleging that she faced hostility and retaliation from Dolphins cheerleading coaches and was discriminated against on behalf of her gender and religion.
According to the Washington Post, Kristan Ann Ware says she was told by two Dolphins cheerleading coaches during an April 2016 work review that she could no longer discuss her vow to forgo sex before marriage. Ware lasted one more season with the team before leaving.
Ware alleges that the team director, Dorie Grogan, told her that she could talk about her virginity in private, but never around the team, and also stated that Ware needed to become a woman. Before the end of the meeting, Ware says she was photographed in a bikini — which the coaches said was needed to prove Ware was “calendar ready” — while she attempted to hold back tears.
“It was like a bus hit me,” Ware said, per the Post. “I was completely speechless. All that formed on my face were tears.”
Ware says that Grogan, during another photo shoot, told her to play with pieces of fruit “like they were balls” and to “make love to the camera.” Ware additionally alleges that Brooke Nix, the team choreographer, told her regarding her religiously motivated vow to forgo premarital sex, “I think it is still beautiful, but you need to stop talking about it.”
When it comes to her religion, Ware says the Dolphins treated her differently than members of the football team. Players were not reprimanded or censored when using religious language, she says, indicating that female employees representing the team were held to a different standard than male employees.
Ware also told the Post that former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis’ Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint, filed in late March, played a role in her coming forward. Ware has hired the same attorney (Sara Blackwell) as Davis.
“If it wasn’t for Bailey speaking out, I would have never been able to find Sara,” Ware said. “If it wasn’t for God healing me and using my pain for his purpose, I would have never been courageous enough to tell my story. Right now is the perfect time to tell my story.”
In addition to her Christian faith, Ware also has a deep respect for the military. She even contemplated joining the Coast Guard before opting to attend college instead.
From The Sumter Item:
Kristan Ann Ware has kept her humble spirit and strong Christian faith while achieving success and fame as a Miami Dolphins cheerleader co-captain.
The Wichita Falls, Texas, native, who was raised in Sumter and attended high school at Thomas Sumter Academy, said she always knew she wanted to do something that was out of her comfort zone.
“I love spreading joy and wanted to get out there in the world and make a difference,” she said. “It just so happened to be as an NFL cheerleader.”
Ware has used her fame in a unique way to spread the message of Christ.
“My faith has been tested many times, but God is always going to be there with me,” she said. “I’ve never felt closer to Him than I do now.”
Ware said she wants to serve as a role model to girls, including her younger sister, Kenzie MacQueen…
Ware’s position as a Miami Dolphins cheerleader during the past three years has allowed her to pursue avenues that are important to her. She has conducted five worldwide military tours and traveled to 30 countries, sharing her talents in hospitals, schools and various communities.
“Growing up in a military home, I’ve seen the sacrifices that service men and women make,” she said. “I can never find the right words to say to thank them for their service.”
It’s a shame someone who honors both God and the military finds herself at such odds with the current culture.
The NFL already had a lot of problems to address. Now it’s even at the cheerleading squad level.