Justine Lindsay has made LGBTQ+ history as the first openly trans cheerleader in the NFL. Taking to Instagram, the 29-year old talent revealed that she joined the TopCats cheerleading team for the Carolina Panthers. “Cats Out the Bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleaders as the first Transgender female,” she wrote. “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. “This is a moment I will never forget, and I cannot wait to show you all what this girl has to bring.
Thank you [TopCats], a dream come true.” In a recent interview with BuzzFeed News, the director of the TopCats, Chandalae Lanouette, opened up about the importance of diversity and creating space. “My goal is to create a team of individuals that are absolute fire on the field but are incredible human beings in the locker room, good friends, good people, and at the end of the day, you have to walk through the door first to get to that spot,” she said.
In an additional statement to BuzzFeed, Lindsay expressed her hopes of creating change with her inclusion on the team. “This is big.