The NFL’s first transgender cheerleader has slammed North Carolina for banning transgender women from women’s sports – as she insisted that her role is ‘setting things up for the younger generation.’

Justine Lindsay, 30, captured headlines in March 2022 after joining the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats cheer squad, comparing her dancing achievement to becoming ‘a doctor or a nurse’ in an interview with Elle this week.

‘Everything that I’m going through now, it’s bigger than me,’ she said. ‘No one is going to stop the show.’ 

Since her groundbreaking appointment, the dancer has become a figurehead in debates around transgender athlete’s inclusion in female sports – despite her own role not being threatened by a recent ban passed in her home state. 

‘I will fight this until I can’t fight anymore,’ she said, speaking about the passage of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in North Carolina. ‘It saddens me to see it.’  

The legislation, which has also been enacted in similar ways in 22 states including Florida, Idaho and Arkansas, bans transgender women from competing against biological women in middle school, high school and college. 

Justine Lindsay, the first transgender cheerleader in the NFL, slammed bans on trans athletes in biological women's sports and said she will 'fight this until I can't fight anymore'

Justine Lindsay, the first transgender cheerleader in the NFL, slammed bans on trans athletes in biological women's sports and said she will 'fight this until I can't fight anymore'

Justine Lindsay, the first transgender cheerleader in the NFL, slammed bans on trans athletes in biological women’s sports and said she will ‘fight this until I can’t fight anymore’ 

Despite backlash from some NFL supporters when she landed a place on the Carolina Panther's cheerleading squad in 2022, Lindsay said 'no one is going to stop the show'

Despite backlash from some NFL supporters when she landed a place on the Carolina Panther's cheerleading squad in 2022, Lindsay said 'no one is going to stop the show'

Despite backlash from some NFL supporters when she landed a place on the Carolina Panther’s cheerleading squad in 2022, Lindsay said ‘no one is going to stop the show’ 

Lindsay pictured during her audition for the Panther's cheerleading squad

Lindsay pictured during her audition for the Panther's cheerleading squad

Lindsay pictured during her audition for the Panther’s cheerleading squad 

The push to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports has been fueled by a number of controversial victories, most notably swimmer Lia Thomas’ win in the NCAA championships in March 2022. 

As the victories racked up – including a trans cyclist winning a female race in North Carolina by over five minutes earlier this year – numerous lawmakers pushed laws restricting their inclusion. 

In August, North Carolina’s state legislature overrode Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto and pushed through the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act – a move that Lindsay says she plans to ‘fight.’ 

The cheerleader added that she felt personally threatened by backlash to her joining the team, which reportedly came at the same time two transgender women were murdered near the Panther’s stadium. 

When Lindsay joined the team, she said she faced questions like 'are they going to put her in a dress?'

When Lindsay joined the team, she said she faced questions like 'are they going to put her in a dress?'

When Lindsay joined the team, she said she faced questions like ‘are they going to put her in a dress?’ 

‘I just thank God that I’m still here,’ she said. 

‘This kind of thing is happening all the time, all over the country, but you don’t hear about it because people with money and power don’t want to talk about it.’ 

Despite becoming a figurehead in debates over transgender inclusion, Lindsay said she has no plans to shy away from the spotlight, and sees her prominence as the first transgender cheerleader in the NFL as ‘setting things up for the younger generation.’ 

‘Everything that I’m going through now, it’s bigger than me,’ she added. 

‘Did I think making the team would have that much impact? No, not at first,’ Lindsay continued, noting both the outpouring of support and backlash she received. 

‘People were like, ‘Are they going to put her in a dress? Are they going to put her in pants?” she said. 

However, her cheer squad teammate, Chris Crawford, one of two gay men who joined the team in November 2021, added that it was not surprising to see the angry reaction from some to Lindsay landing a place on the team, noting that ‘we are in the South.’ 

As a child she said she struggled to 'fit in' and was 'socially awkward' before finding dancing as an outlet

As a child she said she struggled to 'fit in' and was 'socially awkward' before finding dancing as an outlet

As a child she said she struggled to ‘fit in’ and was ‘socially awkward’ before finding dancing as an outlet 

Linsday is pictured performing before the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints showdown on September 25, 2022

Linsday is pictured performing before the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints showdown on September 25, 2022

Linsday is pictured performing before the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints showdown on September 25, 2022 

Justine also made history as one of only a few professional cheerleaders who is black

Justine also made history as one of only a few professional cheerleaders who is black

The 30-year-old is set for her second season as a Panther's cheerleader

The 30-year-old is set for her second season as a Panther's cheerleader

Justine also made history as one of only a few professional cheerleaders who is black, and is set for her second season as a Panther’s cheerleader 

After joining the team in March 2022, Linsday opened up about her past struggles and said she was a ‘socially awkward’ child who struggled to ‘fit in’.

She admitted she ‘battled a lot within herself’ including ‘a really bad stage’ of anxiety and depression as a teen, before finding dancing as an outlet, she told Buzzfeed News in 2022. 

However, her rise to prominence has come at a time of escalating debates over transgender athletes, with many experts claiming they hold an unfair physical advantage over biological women. 

Despite Lindsay noting that it ‘saddens’ her to see the pushback, the issue forced champion cyclist Hannah Arensman from her sport after she lost out of a podium place to a transgender cyclist. 

Champion cyclist Hannah Arensman announced her retirement from professional cycling after being beaten out to a podium place by Austin Killips, a transgender athlete

Champion cyclist Hannah Arensman announced her retirement from professional cycling after being beaten out to a podium place by Austin Killips, a transgender athlete

Champion cyclist Hannah Arensman announced her retirement from professional cycling after being beaten out to a podium place by Austin Killips, a transgender athlete

Current and former athletes say trans athletes like Lia Thomas (left), the swimmer who enjoyed modest success in male categories before becoming a national champion in women's events after she transitioned, highlight the physical advantages of trans women

Current and former athletes say trans athletes like Lia Thomas (left), the swimmer who enjoyed modest success in male categories before becoming a national champion in women's events after she transitioned, highlight the physical advantages of trans women

Current and former athletes say trans athletes like Lia Thomas (left), the swimmer who enjoyed modest success in male categories before becoming a national champion in women’s events after she transitioned, highlight the physical advantages of trans women

In April, Arensman heartbreakingly announced the end of her dream of competing in the Olympics, saying the inclusion of transgender racers meant she would ‘lose no matter how hard I train.’ 

The issue was thrust into the spotlight when trans swimmer Lia Thomas became an NCAA champion in March 2022.

Debate has raged ever since, but it was initially raised as a point of contention after the emergence of Cece Telfer – who became the first openly trans woman to win an NCAA title when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the Division II National Championships in 2019.

The following year, Laurel Hubbard, from New Zealand, became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympics when she took part in weightlifting at the Tokyo games.

Cece Telfer became the first openly trans woman to win an NCAA title when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the Division II National Championships in 2019 (pictured)

Cece Telfer became the first openly trans woman to win an NCAA title when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the Division II National Championships in 2019 (pictured)

Cece Telfer became the first openly trans woman to win an NCAA title when she placed first in the 400m hurdles at the Division II National Championships in 2019 (pictured)

Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympics in 2020

Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympics in 2020

Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender woman to compete at the Olympics in 2020

Tommy Lundberg, a lecturer in physiology at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and leading researcher on the subject, told DailyMail.com in March: ‘The most important thing is whether or not you have benefited from male development and male puberty and if you’ve done that, you’re going to have advantages you cannot undo later.’

This view was also shared by Nancy Hogshead, a former pro swimmer who won three gold medals and one silver at the 1984 Olympics, who told DailyMail.com: ‘Trans women have an undeniable physical advantage.

‘Their bodies do what male bodies do when they go through puberty and is the reason why we segregate sports ubiquitously around the world.

‘Unless we’re talking about just playing, just recreational sports. All competitive sports are sex segregated.’

Notably, trans figurehead Caitlyn Jenner, who won gold in the male decathlon at the 1976 Olympics before becoming one of the world’s best-known trans women, has also called Thomas’s success ‘anathema to what sports represents and the spirit of competition’.

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