The NFL’s moment in inclusivity has taken a controversial turn as a former Carolina Panthers cheerleader alleges she was dismissed from the team due to her transgender identity.
Justine Lindsay, who made history in 2022 as the league’s first openly transgender cheerleader, says she was removed from the Panthers’ TopCats squad before the 2025 season began. The timing of her departure, coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, has raised questions about the climate facing transgender individuals in professional sports.
“I was cut because I’m trans,” Lindsay stated in an interview with Gaye Magazine. She pushed back against any suggestion that her departure was voluntary, asking pointedly: “Why the hell would I not wanna come back to an organization that I’ve been a part of for three years?”
The emotional toll of losing her position was evident in Lindsay’s comments. “I was devastated. It stung. I was hurt,” she said, expressing a sense of betrayal despite her appreciation for the opportunities the organization had provided.
While acknowledging positive aspects of her time with the Panthers, Lindsay made clear she felt wronged by the decision. “I love them down. I appreciate everything that they’ve done for me, but I feel like I was done wrong,” she explained. “It was like a big slap in the face to not only me but for the youth. And this was right after Trump became president.”
The Carolina Panthers organization has not yet responded to requests for comment on Lindsay’s allegations.
Though Lindsay stopped short of directly attributing her dismissal to Trump’s policies, she noted the timing of her removal in the context of the new administration’s stance on transgender issues. The president has taken firm positions against transgender participation in military service and women’s sports through executive action.
One executive order has barred individuals with gender dysphoria, those who have undergone hormone therapy, or those who have had gender reassignment surgery from military service. Another order threatens to withhold federal funding from schools and athletic organizations that allow transgender women and girls to compete in female sports categories.
These policy changes have already begun reshaping the landscape of organized athletics. NCAA President Charlie Baker has moved to bring his organization into alignment with the federal directive.
Lindsay’s three-year tenure with the TopCats represented a significant milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in professional sports. Her presence on the sidelines was widely celebrated as a step forward for inclusivity in the NFL, with Lindsay even appearing alongside Commissioner Roger Goodell at a Night of Pride event in 2023.
