October 26th 2023.
Justine Lindsay, a transgender person, made history last year when it was announced that she had completed a full season with the Carolina TopCats as the first openly transgender cheerleader in the NFL. This opportunity allowed her to continue her passion for dance and make a change in the world as she enters her second season with the Carolina Panthers.
On March 30, 2022, Lindsay made a historic announcement on Instagram that she had made the squad. She said, “Cat’s Out the Bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleaders, as the first Transgender female.” For Lindsay, this was a coming-out moment to her followers and teammates. She had initially come out to family members years ago and kept her decision to transition in college on the low. “I’m just a regular person, but I just felt like, at the same time, I have a story to tell,” she said.
Lindsay's rookie season was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but she was determined to use it as a platform to advocate for her community, especially with a rise in anti-transgender legislation. TopCats coach Chandalae Lanouette was the only one who knew about Lindsay’s identity after she submitted her application. The coach shared that her decision to hire a transgender woman had been met with negativity, but that Lindsay was a phenomenal performer, and could “make people watch us and to entertain them. And she could do that just by walking in a room.”
Hires such as Lindsay move the NFL closer to improving diversity and inclusion. NFL Executive Vice President Troy Vincent Sr. said in an overview of the league’s 2023 Diversity and Inclusion Report, “While improvement is evident, there must be an ongoing effort to break mobility barriers and establish a cultural norm of opportunity for all. The NFL recognizes these challenges and is committed to taking practical steps to ensure concrete results.”
Lindsay’s story has been an inspiration to many. HuffPost reported that she has received messages from parents of LGBTQ+ kids, telling her that her story has motivated them to be better parents. This goes to show the power that Lindsay and people like her have to make a positive change in the world.
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