A former Miami Dolphins cheerleader has filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations against the football team and the NFL, claiming that she suffered discrimination because of her virginity and her Christian faith.
Kristan Ann Ware, who cheered for the Dolphins for three seasons, said that the team's cheerleading coaches became antagonistic towards her after they found out that she was abstaining from sex until she was married.
According to Ware, the issue about her faith and virginity was brought up during an interview for returning dancers in April 2016.
"They sat me down and they said, 'You know what? Let's talk about your virginity,'" Ware recounted to ESPN's Bob Ley on his show "Outside the Lines."
"And it shocked me at first and still shocks me today. But they ended up saying that my virginity was dirty and that I was not allowed to talk about it anymore with anyone, where I confessed that it was only due to my faith and my vow to God to wait until marriage," she continued.
One source has said that the Dolphins have already reprimanded a cheerleading squad supervisor after Ware voiced out her concerns in 2016.
Ware acknowledged that the Dolphins' human resources department had been "super understanding," but she said that her work environment had become "even more hostile" after she complained about her situation. "I was retaliated against and matters just got worse," she said, according to Palm Beach Post.
The former cheerleader recounted that the squad had teased her by making her wear a big set of "angel wings" during a 2016 rehearsal for a fashion show, in which they are supposed to walk the runway in bikinis.
She also claimed that a story that she posted on the Dolphins blog about her audition had been edited to remove references to God and Christ.
Sara Blackwell, a lawyer representing Ware, noted that the former Dolphins cheerleader never proselytized to her co-workers and she only brought up her virginity when she was asked about it.
Ware is demanding a sit-down with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and an arbitration from the Florida Commission.
In a statement, the Dolphins contended that it does not discriminate against employees. "We are seriously committed to providing a positive work environment for everyone associated with the organization. We hold every member of our organization to the same standards and do not discriminate as it relates to gender, race and religious beliefs," the organization said.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy declined to comment on the issue, saying the league has not read Ware's complaint.
