Source: Streeter Lecka / Getty
Justine Lindsay has come out as the first transgender cheerleader in the NFL. She revealed the historic news via an Instagram post where she announced she is now a Carolina Panthers TopCats cheerleader.
“Cats Out the Bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleader’s @topcats as the first Transgender female,” she captioned a photo of her on the football field via Instagram.
When Justine Lindsay shared the news, she was “so scared.”
“There’s just some things you can’t post,” she told Buzzfeed News.
Despite her fear, she couldn’t be concerned with any criticism that would come her way.
“I just felt like when I posted it, whatever reaction I get from everyone, it does not matter,” Lindsay said. “And then my phone started blowing up.”
In her Instagram post, the North Carolina native shouted out Chandalae Lanouette, the Topcats’ director, who chose her to be a member of the Topcats squad.
“You are a special being that I truly cherish thank you taking that leap of faith on me to be apart of your legacy and so many others,” she wrote. “This is a moment I will never forget and I cannot wait to show you all what this girl has to bring.”
Lanouette told Buzzfeed News that she was more blown away by Lindsay’s talent than her being transgender.
“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,” Lanouette said.
Cheerleaders do community service and attend business conferences when they are off of the field. Lindsay is excited that her visibility will help inspire and encourage others.
“This is big,” she said. “I think more people need to see this. It’s not because I want recognition. It’s just to shed light on what’s going on in the world.”
Of course, Lindsay received hateful messages and made sure to address those who believe she is “bringing the organization down.”
“The Carolina panthers Organization is an excellent one, one that supports all people white, black , yellow trans, straight etc. at the end of the day myself and the other 29 members @topcats made the squad fair and square,” she wrote on Instagram. “So what if I’m ðŸ³ï¸âš§ï¸ so what I’m paving the way for those under me who are scared and afraid to take that step because it is not easy to do when you have ignorant people making comments that didn’t go through the process like the rest of us.”
