• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Lifestyle

Justine Lindsay Is Ready To 'Break Down That Door' As The NFL’s First Openly Trans Cheerleader

The 29-year-old is one of the newest members of the Carolina Panthers' TopCat cheerleading team.
Justine Lindsay Is Ready To ‘Break Down That Door’ As The NFL’s First Openly Trans Cheerleader
(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By Aley Arion · Updated June 8, 2022

Meet Justine Lindsay, the first openly trans cheerleader in NFL history. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justine Simone Lindsay (@jus_lindsay_)

The 29-year-old is one of the newest members of the Panthers’ TopCats cheerleading squad. She shared the announcement on her Instagram as the league prepares for its 2022-2023 season.  

“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…” she shared in a post. “I will continue to be that pioneer I will continue to inspire and help my African American beautiful trans sisters until my last breath. So please mind your manners and understand that if you can’t say anything nice please keep it to yourself.”

In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Lindsay revealed that the news of her joining the cheerleading team acted as a dual announcement since it was the first time she publicly came out as trans to many of her friends and family. 

“I was so scared,” she told the publication. “There’s just some things you can’t post… I just felt like when I posted it, whatever reaction I get from everyone, it does not matter. And then my phone started blowing up.”

While there is no official record of the history of the NFL’s cheerleading rosters, being that there could have been trans women on teams in the past, Lindsay is confirmed to be the first trans cheerleader within the NFL to be open about her identity. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justine Simone Lindsay (@jus_lindsay_)

When trying out for the squad, Lindsay mentioned being trans on her application, but according to TopCats director Chandalae Lanouette, it was her overall talent and athleticism that she felt made her the perfect fit for the team. 

“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 told Buzzfeed.

For Lindsay, this moment marks a shift in the forward progress for trans visibility in the sports world and she hopes that her new position will create more spaces and opportunities for trans athletes in the future.

“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.”

“I’m happy because I was able to break down that door and tell people, ‘Hey, we are not just sexual beings,'” Lindsay continued. “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.’”

TOPICS:  black trans women Justine Lindsay trans rights
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now