Carolina Panthers Breaking Down Barriers Off The Field
As the debate about transgender athletes competing in sports – particularly at high school level – rages on, the NFL’s Carolina Panthers have planted their flag in the turf, appointing the first openly transgender woman to their cheer squad for the upcoming 2022-23 season. BuzzFeed reports that 29-year-old Justine Lindsay will make history when she takes to the turf at Bank of America Stadium in August, for the Panthers first home preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
Lindsay – many of whom’s friends were unaware she was trans – disclosed that she was transgender on her application to join the Top Cats. That proved no issue for cheerleading director Chandalae Lanouette, who’s quoted as saying “My goal is to create a team of individuals that are absolute fire on the field but are incredible human beings in the locker room, good friends, good people, and at the end of the day, you have to walk through the door first to get to that spot.” Under Lanouette, the Top Cats have embraced a focus on inclusion and in the 2021 season became the 7th NFL franchise to have male cheerleaders on their squad.
The NFL has been in something of a rush in recent years to promote diversity. The race of a team’s quarterback – for so long the provision of white athletes – is now hopefully irrelevant, with all 32 franchises having now rostered a Black athlete as signal-caller. Nine of last season’s opening week starters were Black, and it may be 10 this year if Geno Smith gets the nod for the Seahawks ahead of Drew Lock. Still, grid-iron has long been typified as a sport where Black athletes put their bodies on the line for white owners, and that stereotype remains true. The only minority owners in the league are Shad Khan at the Jaguars and Kim Pergula, who co-owns the Buffalo Bills with her husband Terry via their company Pegula Sports & Entertainment.
For her part, Lindsay is happy to kick down doors in the name of visibility. Fears about having to grow her hair out were assuaged by Lanouette, and Lindsay wants to “inspire other young girls who may be insecure rocking their bald look.” She explains, “It’s not because I want recognition. It’s just to shed light on what’s going on in the world.”
On the field the Panthers could use some of Lindsay’s barnstorming attitude. The Panthers might be making big strides off the field, but on it things are tough. They’re rank outsiders in Coral’s NFL betting odds to win Super Bowl LVII, alongside the likes of the Jaguars and Giants. Their Super Bowl record is not great and with Tom Brady having reneged on retirement, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be big favorites to take the NFC South. The Saints may be weakened by the departure of head coach Sean Payton however they have a formidable receiver group in returnee Michael Thomas and new additions Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave.
This is a big season for Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. Sam Darnold spent most of 2021-22 battling injury and returning vet Cam Newton could only pitch in with 5 touchdowns over 6 games – of which they only managed to win one, going 5-12 on the season. With Darnold’s only compatriot at the moment being rookie Matt Corral, Rhule needs a big season from the likes of Christian McCaffrey, particularly as the departure of star linebacker Haason Reddick means opposing quarterbacks may fancy their chances more at The Vault. Can GM Scott Fitterer put together a deal to land want away Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield?
In a game that has a huge emphasis on statistics, milestones and records, Justine Lindsay and the Panthers have just etched their names into the history books for 2022. Keep an eye on SpectacularMag’s sports section to see if the players can do likewise.