The NFL’s pioneer transgender cheerleader has strongly criticized North Carolina for its prohibition on transgender women participating in women’s sports, emphasizing that her role serves as a foundation for future generations.
Justine Lindsay, aged 30, gained widespread attention in March 2022 when she joined the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats cheerleading squad. In an interview with Elle this week, she likened her achievement in dancing to becoming “a doctor or a nurse.”
Lindsay also compared being a cheerleader to being a “doctor” or a “nurse,” who saves lives
Lindsay stated, ‘Everything that I’m going through now, it’s bigger than me,’ she said. ‘No one is going to stop the show.’
Despite the recent ban on transgender women’s participation in women’s sports in her home state, Lindsay has emerged as a prominent figure in the discussions surrounding transgender athletes’ inclusion in female sports. Her own position remains unaffected by this ban.
Regarding the passage of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in North Carolina, she declared, “I will continue to fight this battle until I can fight no more. It is disheartening to witness.”
This legislation, which has been enacted in similar forms in 22 states, including Florida, Idaho, and Arkansas, prohibits transgender women from competing against cisgender women in middle school, high school, and college sports.
The movement to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports gained momentum following controversial victories, notably swimmer Lia Thomas’ NCAA championships win in March 2022. As these victories accumulated, including a transgender cyclist winning a women’s race in North Carolina by a significant margin earlier this year, numerous lawmakers pushed for laws to limit their inclusion.
In August, North Carolina’s state legislature overrode the veto by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and passed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act—an action that Lindsay has pledged to contest vigorously.
