‘I’m so proud of you’: Dallas Cowboys cheerleader with alopecia takes off wig during game
A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader made a powerful statement Monday by dancing bald for the first time.
Armani Latimer performed wig-free during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals to raise awareness of alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
Earlier this year, Latimer revealed her condition on the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.”
In a December Women’s Health column, she shared that she was diagnosed at the age of 12, and it has weighed heavy on her career.
“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,” Latimer said. “My alopecia was hard to navigate during my early cheering days. It was such a tumultuous time that I was only able to give about 50 percent of my effort.”
But “confidence took center stage” during her debut performance wig-free.
An Instagram video on the team’s cheer page shows her teammates giving words of encouragement about the bold move she set out to make as she walked on the field Monday. The video had 372,000 likes as of Thursday.
“So proud that you’re doing this and you’re just representing a lot of little girls out there, they’re going to be looking at you in awe at your strength, knowing that they are going to feel so beautiful after this because of what you’re doing today,” a cheerleader in the video.
Fans agreed in the video comments.
“I don’t know you, but I’m so proud of you,” one wrote. Said another, “Not only is she gorgeous, she’s got the moves!”
Latimer’s performance came in time for the team’s “My Cause, My Boots” campaign, which allows them to raise awareness and money for causes they care about.
Latimer has shared that she was scared to make such a bold move after wearing wigs all season, but opted to push through her fear.
“Knowing that the game would be live in front of over 80,000 people and I may end up on TV is a bit intimidating,” Latimer said in Women’s Health. “But I’m reminding myself that I’ll be out there dancing with my best friends, and my family will be there as well. I know that it’ll be an impactful moment for whoever it touches.”
What is Alopecia?
According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, the condition primarily causes hair loss on the face, scalp and occasionally other parts of the body..
People with alopecia normally experience circular, coin-sized hair loss on their scalp. In more extreme situations, they may experience complete hair loss.
Alopecia is more common in women than men. Some racial and ethnic groups may be more susceptible to the condition, such as Asian, Black and Hispanic people, according to studies.
Around 2% of people worldwide will at some point in their lives develop alopecia areata, the foundation said.
About 160 million people globally and nearly 7 million in the United States have alopecia areata, have had it, or will at some point in their lives.
