Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Armani Latimer made a powerful statement Monday night by performing without her wig to raise awareness for alopecia during the team’s “My Cause My Boots” game. The initiative allows cheerleaders to honor causes close to their hearts with stars on their boots representing their chosen advocacy. Diagnosed with alopecia at 12 years old, Latimer shared with Women’s Health that she approached her coaches earlier this season about performing wig-free and they fully supported her. Before stepping onto the field, an emotional Instagram reel captured Latimer wiping away tears as her teammates encouraged her, saying she was “representing a lot of little girls out there.”
“Shortly after college, I auditioned to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and attempted to wear my hair naturally, but the demands of being a training camp candidate and trying to make the team caused my hair to fall out at a faster rate,” she said. “As it became harder to cover up, I went back to sew-ins. And once my hair fell out completely, I started wearing wigs.”
“It was such a tumultuous time that I was only able to give about 50 percent of my effort,” she added. Despite the challenges, Latimer credits her teammates for providing a supportive space where she could process her emotions and feel understood.
“People see cheerleaders and assume they’re flawless,” Latimer said. “While that’s obviously not true, I still found myself having to unlearn the idea that I needed to be perfect to be on the team. I didn’t want to just be the cheerleader who didn’t have hair.” Her performance not only raised awareness for alopecia but also redefined conventional notions of beauty and confidence, especially in the highly visible world of NFL cheerleading.
