In March 2022, Justin Lindsay made history as the NFL First openly trans cheerleader. Three seasons later, the Carolina Panthers’ top cat is away from the team in pursuit of pageantry and community outreach.
In a statement Out sportsLindsay said she wants to grow beyond the sidelines, “I strive to ensure that someone is perceived not only as an NFL cheerleader, but especially as a positive influence in these uncertain times.
The announcement marks a reversal, as some press did Previously reported She has returned to the 2025-2026 season.
She told the LGBTQ Sports News website that she “focuses on educating the younger generation of leaders and pursuing their dreams and goals.”
Her philanthropy includes supporting two LGBTQ groups based in the South and dedicated to education, advocacy and equality. At the pageantry, Lindsay recently crowned the winner of Miss Charlotte Black Pride (Lady) in 2025.
In her statement, Lindsay targeted the Trump administration, declaring, “Don’t let a paranoid president stop them from achieving their goals, whether they are trans, African American, American or otherwise.”
Attacking the trans community was a fixture for Trump’s 2024 campaign. One ad aired 30,000 times In swing state, Kamala Harris blasted after supporting tax-funded gender-affirming surgery for prisoners. The scene claimed that the then president was “for them/they” and “President Trump is for you.”
In his second term, Trump continues to target transgender people. In January, he signed Presidential Order Prohibits them from enlisting or serving in the US military. A month later, he issued another one order Transgender girls and women are prohibited from competing in women’s sports.
Lindsay’s departure leaves the league without transgender cheerleaders, but her impact endures through her ongoing LGBTQ advocacy.
“Being on the field on Sundays representing this organization isn’t just me as a cheerleader,” she said. I told the NFL 2022.
As she left cheerleading, Lindsay positively reflected the Panthers’ experience. “Being in the NFL was a stepping stone to take me where I needed it,” she said. Out sports“And God blesses me every day.”
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
