Northwestern cheerleaders 'presented as sex objects' to entice fans, donors, lawsuit claims

Posted January 30, 2021 12:00 am

By Madeline Kenney Chicago Sun-Times

A former Northwestern University cheerleader claims she and her teammates were "presented as sex objects" at numerous events, including football tailgates at the Evanston school, and were forced to interact with drunk and belligerent fans for the university's financial gain.

As a result, some were sexually harassed on numerous occasions while wearing their Northwestern uniforms, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Chicago.

The plaintiff, Hayden Richardson, described a "hostile environment" throughout her two seasons as a Wildcats cheerleader, which included repeated instances of sexual harassment, her lawsuit says.

Richardson alleges Northwestern "forced its cheerleaders to behave in a degrading and demeaning manner" to get wealthy fans and alumni to donate to the university and its athletic department.

In a statement, Northwestern said it reviewed the complaint and denies the university violated any law, including Title IX.

• See the full report by the Chicago Sun-Times at chicago.suntimes.com.

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