Former cheerleader sues Houston Texans, cheer coach

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - A former Houston Texans cheerleader has filed a lawsuit against the team and its cheerleading director/coach.  

The federal lawsuit, filed by a woman with the initials P.G., seeks class action status. The woman claims that cheerleaders were forced to work hours for which they were not paid and were required to tweet multiple times each day and get spray tans before each game.

The lawsuit also alleges that some cheerleaders were "verbally abused" by Altovise Gary, the director and coach of cheerleader programs for the Texans, as they were pressured to lose weight or change their appearance. 

Texans vice president of communications Amy Palcic released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

We are proud of the cheerleader program and have had hundreds of women participate and enjoy their experience while making a positive impact in the local community. We are constantly evaluating our procedures and will continue to make adjustments as needed to make the program enjoyable for everyone.