

Allyson Hamlin spends most of her time as a detective in Washington D.C.'s police department—but she'd rather be in a football uniform. The 38-year-old Maryland native has spent 11 years playing with the Women Football Association's D.C. Divas, a team made up of equally fierce women, and she's now—proudly—their quarterback.
"People have a very difficult time seeing women as being strong and powerful and feminine," Hamlin says of being a woman in a sport that's so steeped in bro-culture. "The assumption is, 'Oh it's this grueling bravado sport, it must be a bunch of butch women going out there who want to be men.' I just think that's what people envision. Until they actually come out and see us, that skepticism is going to stay. It's just going to take time."
Football continues to be a massively male-dominated sport, and while NFL players typically rake in millions per year, women in the WFA aren't compensated—at all. Mind-blowingly huge gender bias aside, at this point, Hamlin just wants the Divas to be taken as seriously as their high-roller friends in the NFL.
"I think football brings out a side in a lot of the women that they've never seen before."
"One of the biggest compliments we've ever had is 'You'd never know you're women until you take your helmet off,'" she says. "To me that's what it's all about, because it means we're doing the sport right. As sexist as society is, it's evolving. If you're a true sports fan you appreciate a good product, no matter who's playing it and no matter what sport it is. I know the D.C. Divas are doing it right, there are a lot of other teams that are doing it right. If we continue to do it right, eventually you have to acknowledge us."
Hamlin and her teammates—CEOs, teachers, business analysts—are the subjects of a new documentary, (amazingly) titled Women with Balls. The independently produced film, which is currently running an indiegogo fundraising campaign, will follow the players through their 2015 season, tracking their highs and lows as they battle their way to the 2015 WFA championship.
Like most sports documentaries, Women with Balls will be heavy on the inspiration and empowerment—but these themes are finally being viewed through a female lens. "We're more cerebral, we're more emotional, we need to talk everything out, we need to put everything on the table," Hamlin says. "So you really get a lot more raw emotion. I think football brings out a side in a lot of the women that they've never seen before. The bond is incredible—the team is like a second family to all of us."
Head over here to contribute, because this is a story that deserves to be told.
You should also check out:
Meet Becky Hammon, the NBA's First Female Coach
The NFL Hires Its First Female Official
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.

Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
-
Taylor Swift Says Her Career Was "Taken Away" by Kim and Kanye: "Make No Mistake"
She's finally ready to talk about it.
By Fleurine Tideman
-
Cult Docuseries Are Having a Moment—Here Are 10 to Watch Now
From 'The Vow' to 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God'
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Taylor Swift, Anna Wintour, Laura Dern, and Robert Patterson Made an All-Star Front Row at an NYC Premiere
Grab the popcorn.
By Fleurine Tideman
-
The Best Bollywood Movies of 2023 (So Far)
Including one that just might fill the Riverdale-shaped hole in your heart.
By Andrea Park
-
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ 2023: Everything We Know
Cue up Mike Reno and Ann Wilson’s “Almost Paradise."
By Andrea Park
-
Who Is Gerry Turner, the ‘Golden Bachelor’?
The Indiana native is the first senior citizen to join Bachelor Nation.
By Andrea Park
-
‘Virgin River’ Season 6: Everything We Know
Here's everything we know on the upcoming episodes.
By Andrea Park
-
The 60 Best Musical Movies of All Time
All the dance numbers! All the show tunes!
By Amanda Mitchell
-
'Ginny & Georgia' Season 2: Everything We Know
Netflix owes us answers after that ending.
By Zoe Guy
-
35 Nude Movies With Porn-Level Nudity
Lots of steamy nudity ahead.
By Kayleigh Roberts
-
The Cast of 'The Crown' Season 5: Your Guide
The Mountbatten-Windsors have been recast—again.
By Andrea Park