Cheerleaders are an integral aspect of the NFL game day experience. A new documentary, "A Woman's Work: The NFL's Cheerleader Problem," exposes the underbelly of a seemingly glamorous pursuit and follows the lives of two women who decided to stand up against their teams. Former cheerleader Lacy Thibodeaux-Fields, a Raiderette, was the first to speak out. She filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the Raiderettes against the then Oakland Raiders in 2014. The lawsuit alleged wage theft and illegal employment practices. In response, many other cheerleaders followed suit such as Maria Pinzone, a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Buffalo Bills and the NFL in 2014.
See "New Documentary Reveals Pervasive Labor Issues in the NFL Surrounding Cheerleaders", Ben Church , CNN Business, January 14, 2021