The NFL’s First Trans Cheerleader Just Booked Another Season With The Panthers
Justine Lindsay returns to the TopCats, cementing her place as a trailblazer in the NFL.
Feature image: Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images
Justine Lindsay is set to keep making history in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers cheerleader, who became the league’s first openly transgender cheerleader in 2022, is returning for another season with the team’s TopCats squad.
Lindsay first joined the Panthers after a successful audition in which she disclosed her identity on the application forms. That year, she stepped onto the field and into the record books, calling the experience “a dream come true.” At the time, she told fans, “This is a moment I will never forget and I cannot wait to show you all what this girl has to bring.”
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Her presence has been celebrated by the Panthers’ leadership. TopCats director Chandalae Lanouette said Lindsay embodies the program’s vision of “a team of individuals [who] are absolute fire on the field but are incredible human beings in the locker-room.”
Lindsay’s continued role is significant in a sport that has not always embraced LGBTQ+ inclusion. In recent years, the NFL has faced criticism over discriminatory remarks and policies aimed at trans athletes. Comments like New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ claim that transgender women are “anti-woman” and political moves such as Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to ban trans women and girls from competing in female sports have fueled national debates.
In this context, Lindsay’s spot on the TopCats is more than just a personal achievement. She has also become a visible advocate for transgender youth and their right to play sports. Her platform sends a message to fans and young athletes that there is a place for them in professional sports culture, even in spaces that have historically been hostile.
For now, Lindsay will return to the field this season alongside her fellow TopCats, ready to perform for Panthers fans and to keep making space for representation in the NFL.
