A biologically male cheerleader who identifies as female has been added to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers cheerleading squad.
Justine Simone Lindsay made the announcement this week via Instagram, and Panthers TopCats cheerleading director Chandalae Lanouette confirmed the move to BuzzFeed.
“This is a moment I will never forget and I cannot wait to show you all what this girl has to bring,” Lindsay posted online, captioning a photo from the field.
The league’s first openly trans cheerleader described the general response to BuzzFeed. “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.”
“Cats Out the Bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleader’s [TopCats] as the first Transgender female,” the Instagram post said. “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. Also to my beautiful coach [Chandalae Lanouette] 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.”
“This is a moment I will never forget and I cannot wait to show you all what this girl has to bring,” the post added. “Thank you [TopCats] a dream come true.”
View this post on Instagram
Lindsay captioned another post, “Dreams are reality/Dreams can manifest by putting in the work/Dreams can be accomplished with a focused mind body and spirit/This is my reality this is my story/Own it believe in it and everything will fall into place.”
View this post on Instagram
Lanouette said she was aware Lindsay was transgender by the cheerleading application but insisted it was Lindsay’s “talent,” not the cheerleader’s “history-making” that landed Lindsay a spot on the squad, the BuzzFeed report outlined.
“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.
“I’m happy because I was able to break down that door and tell people, ‘Hey, we are not just sexual beings,’” Lindsay said. “‘We are actual human beings who want to better ourselves.’ I felt like, Why not tell the world: ‘Hey, listen, this is a great accomplishment.’”