Justine Lindsay, the first transgender cheerleader in the National Football League (NFL), has embarked on his second season with the Carolina Panthers TopCats cheerleading squad.
Lindsay expressed his deep disappointment over the prohibition of children participating in sports against those of the opposite sex, as well as the banning of hormonal and medical procedures for minors in certain states.
In an interview with Elle, Lindsay stated, Everything that Im going through now, its bigger than me. Im setting things up for the younger generation. No one is going to stop this show. He hopes to inspire the next generation with his outspoken stance.
Lindsay also drew a parallel between his journey as a transgender NFL cheerleader and the pursuit of other professional goals. I want to change the narrative for my trans sisters and brothers, just to [let them] know that if you have a goal, go for it, he said. Turn that dream into a reality. Be an NFL cheerleader, or a doctor or a nurse or whatever you set your mind to.
Elle reported that Lindsay is deeply saddened by the fact that states like North Carolina are allegedly depriving children of the opportunity to participate in sports. This is a veiled reference to the prohibition of biologically male children from competing against females in school sports.
Lindsay pledged to continue fighting against such regulations. I will fight this until I cant fight any more, he said. It saddens me to see it, he added, referring to North Carolina's Fairness in Womens Sports Act.
Other members of the TopCats squad echoed Lindsay's sentiments about the inclusion of transgender and male members. TopCat Rockii Nelson said, Its important for us to be able to show [that] this is for everybody, no matter your gender, how you look, anything. Its important for fans to see that.
The TopCats squad, which reportedly had three male members in 2021, currently includes at least one male member. This surpasses the 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading squad, which was noted for having the first openly gay male dancer in NFL history.
We are a true example of what a great team looks like, and other teams can build off of that," Lindsay said, concluding with as long as these knees can drop it low and bring it up slow, Ill be dancing."
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