Sports
NFL’s First Transgender Cheerleader Justine Lindsay, Signs With Carolina Panthers
NFL’s First Transgender Cheerleader Justine Lindsay, 29, Signs With Carolina Panthers
The National Football League has hired its first openly transgender cheerleader.
Justine Lindsay, 29, told the world in an Instagram post in March she made the Topcats, the cheerleading squad for the Carolina Panthers. In that same Instagram post, she also came out as transgender.
‘Cats out [of] the bag, you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers Topcats Cheerleader’s as the first transgender female,’ she wrote.
View this post on Instagram
‘I would like to thank the beautiful and talented dancers who supported me along the way, alumni, TopCats family and friends for your love and support. I would not have gotten to this moment in my life if it wasn’t for the support.’
Lindsay will now represent the Carolina Panthers at everything from community events and fundraisers to business conferences. Though the NFL does not keep a record of its cheerleaders, Lindsay is believed to be the first openly transgender female in the league.
And she told Buzzfeed News she is proud to take on that mantle, saying: ‘I think more people need to see this. It’s not because I want recognition. It’s to shed light on what’s going on in this world.’
She has now been pictured practicing for the upcoming 2022 – 23 season
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