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Justine Lindsay, the first transgender NFL cheerleader to play for the Carolina Panthers, has opened up about her reason for leaving the organization.
Lindsay claimed it had something to do with being transgender. Lindsay left the team in August after being a part of the Carolina TopCats since 2022.
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Justine Lindsay of the Carolina Panthers TopCats performs before the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints take the field at Bank of America Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
“I was excluded because I’m trans. I don’t want to hear anyone say, ‘She didn’t want to come back.’ Why on earth wouldn’t I want to come back to an organization that I’ve been a part of for three years,” Lindsay told Gaye Magazine during a live stream last week.
Lindsay made it clear there was no ill will toward the Panthers, but said the team wasn’t looking at the bigger picture.
“I love them. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me, but I feel like I was wrong,” the former cheerleader said.
Justine Lindsay speaks on stage during Pride Night with GLAAD and NFL on February 8, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for GLAAD)
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“It was like a big slap in the face not only to me but to the young people,” Lindsay said. “And that was right after Trump became president.”
PK Press Club Digital has contacted the Panthers for comment
President Donald Trump signed an executive order during the first month of his second term. The order prohibits schools and colleges that receive federal funds and are subject to Title IX from allowing men to join women’s sports teams and access women’s locker rooms and restrooms.
If educational institutions and their athletic associations do not comply, they could face investigations and a loss of federal funds.
Carolina TopCats performer Justine Lindsay walks the red carpet during Pride Night with GLAAD on February 8, 2023, in Phoenix. (Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Several organizations have changed their policies to comply with the president’s order, including the NCAA.
