Justine Lindsay memorably shattered barriers for the NFL as the league’s first openly trans cheerleader with the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats. Hailing from North Carolina, the performer’s historic achievement felt like it was written in the stars: her mother, aunt and grandmother all worked Panthers games when she was a child.

“They would bring home [these] magazine-style portfolios of the entire football roster, different sponsors,” she tells GAY TIMES. “When I saw the TopCats in the book, I was just in awe... I was like, ‘I want to be a part of that.’”

But Lindsay wasn’t just an adoring young fan — she had the talent to back up her aspirations. Throughout her teens, she honed her craft on her local dance team before moving to Los Angeles to train under the legendary Debbie Allen at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where she absorbed techniques and choreography from some of the industry’s biggest names.

Although her dance journey paused after high school, the dream of joining the TopCats remained a driving force. In 2022, it became reality when she earned her spot on the squad, leaving an iconic mark on the NFL with her infectious personality and show-stopping talent.

After three years with the TopCats, however, Lindsay revealed that she would not be returning for a fourth season. But instead of slowing down, she has set her sights on even bigger stages and new aspirations.

In light of her incredible run, GAY TIMES sat down with Lindsay to reflect on her dance and cheer beginnings, her TopCats audition, the weight of making LGBTQIA+ history, and what comes next.

As a former cheerleader myself, it's an honour to chat with the NFL's first-ever openly trans cheerleader. Looking back, how does it feel to have been an LGBTQIA+ trailblazer within such a heteronormative and cis-centred organisation?

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. This was me just 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. [But] being the first trans woman in a male-dominated sport… a lot of people didn't really care for me.

Also, it was people who didn't have a leg to stand on in my space. I can tell you now, I've trained with some of the best. So when you question my abilities, you’re questioning all of those amazing and well-known public figures who've trained me. But I loved it. I think it was time. I am still taking it all in.