In March 2022, the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats made history when they hired Justine Lindsay, the first openly transgender woman known to join an NFL cheerleading squad.
While the league has no official record of its cheerleader demographics, Lindsay’s public announcement marked a milestone: she was the first transgender woman on an NFL team to be open about her identity from the moment she stepped into the role.
She introduced herself to the world in an Instagram post celebrating her selection to the team. The caption read:
“Cats out the bag you are looking at the newest member of the Carolina Panthers TopCats Cheerleaders @topcats as the first transgender female.”
You can view Lindsay’s announcement post below:
Lindsay’s post drew wide attention from fans and media, including BuzzFeed News, which reported that her announcement surprised not only NFL audiences but also her family and friends. Even close friends, she said, had not previously known she was transgender.
She told BuzzFeed News:
“I’m happy because I was able to break down that door and tell people, ‘Hey, we are not just sexual beings. 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.’”
A North Carolina native and graduate of North Carolina State University, Lindsay previously danced for Johnson C. Smith University’s Golden Bullets dance team.
Dance, she said, has always been her driving force:
“This was me saying, ‘This is who I am. Dance is my life, it’s my love.’ I didn’t care if it was a male-dominated field. I just wanted to dance.”
According to TopCats director Chandalae Lanouette, Lindsay disclosed her gender identity in her application, but it was her audition and performance skills that earned her a spot.
Across three seasons, she performed in stadiums nationwide, including the Panthers’ international game in Germany. She said she was relieved when her coach encouraged her signature bald look, which she hoped would “inspire other young girls who may be insecure rocking their bald look.”
Beyond game day, she represented the Panthers at community events, corporate functions, and charity engagements. Lindsay later reflected that being a Black trans woman on such a visible platform allowed her to model resilience and representation.
But in August 2025, during the NFL’s 106th season, Lindsay said her time with the TopCats abruptly ended.
In an Instagram Live conversation with Gaye magazine, she alleged that she was dismissed after three years because she is transgender:
“I was cut because I’m trans. I don’t wanna hear nobody saying, ‘She didn’t wanna come back.’ Why would I not wanna come back to an organization I’ve been a part of for three years? That makes no sense. I was cut.”
Lindsay said her former teammates “know the truth” and indicated that her departure came amid rising political hostility toward transgender people and the arrival of a new coach.
She added:
“It was like a big slap in the face to not only me but for the youth.”
She said the timing felt especially painful given the renewed national debate over transgender participation in sports. She did not directly tie her dismissal to federal policy, but noted that the political climate has intensified scrutiny of trans athletes, as a series of executive orders from the Trump administration restricted transgender inclusion across education and athletics.
One order barred people with gender dysphoria, and those who had received cross-sex hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery, from military service. Another directed federal agencies to withhold funding from schools and athletic organizations that allow transgender girls and women to compete on female teams or use women’s facilities.
Following those directives, major athletic bodies, including the NCAA, began reviewing and adjusting their policies.
Lindsay said the decision left her stunned:
“I was devastated. It stung. I was hurt.”
Posted last week, you can watch the interview below:
The Panthers have not commented publicly on Lindsay’s dismissal.
Before the 2025 season began, Lindsay told Outsports that she would not return for a fourth year, saying she planned to focus on pageants and community projects. Even so, she emphasized that she held no animosity toward the league.
“I love them down,” she said. “I appreciate everything that they’ve done for me.”
Her interview quickly drew reactions across social media:
@rialigned_/Instagram
@theshaunabrooks/Instagram
@smalls.josh614/Instagram
@manisbykenji/Instagram@manisbykenji/Instagram
@bellabxllaa/Instagram
@quinn_the_mannequin/Instagram
@chandalaelanouette/Instagram
@jamesreding/Instagram
@london_santana/Instagram
@iamchadbanks_/Instagram
@quinzell_3000/Instagram
@drtravnation80/Instagram
Lindsay often reflects on what it meant to be a visible LGBTQIA+ figure in one of America’s most traditional sports settings.
She told Gay Times:
“It had its ups and downs. It’s a very humbling experience because when I came into that space, it wasn’t about me trying to make a headline or looking for clout.”
She plans to remain in the public eye. Lindsay is developing a documentary and will compete in next year’s Miss International Queen pageant for transgender women.
She teased:
“You’re going to be seeing a lot from me. Everybody will find out very soon what I’ve been up to.”
Her journey also highlights the slow pace of inclusion within NFL cheerleading. Although some squads have recently welcomed male dancers, progress for women—particularly Black women and transgender women—remains limited. Many teams continue to prefer an “all-American” aesthetic aligned with white and Eurocentric beauty standards.
For Lindsay, performing authentically was a meaningful way to expand the possibilities of inclusive representation.
Throughout her three seasons, she hoped her presence would remind younger performers that there is room for them, too. She continues that work off the field as the host of her Spotify podcast, Keeping It Sweet with Justine, where she speaks candidly about her life, career, and advocacy.
