Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Armani Latimer just danced without a wig for the first time. Latimer, who was diagnosed with alopecia — a condition that causes hair loss — took the field at the Cowboys versus Bengals game on December 9 without her wig, and she did so for a good cause.
In a video posted by the official Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders account, we see Latimer heading out to the field with her teammates, looking gorgeous in the cropped blue top, white shorts, and white cowboy boots. “Confidence takes centre stage for Alopecia Awareness,” the caption reads. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders participate in an endeavour called My Cause My Boots, where each dancer brings awareness to a cause or mission that is dear to her heart; this year, Latimer’s was alopecia.
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A voiceover can be heard throughout the clip, saying, “We’re so proud that you’re doing this and you’re representing a lot of little girls out there. And 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. So we’re just so proud of you.”
Latimer opened up to Women’s Health about her alopecia, which began when she was just 11 years old; she was officially diagnosed with the disease at age 12. Though her hair loss was patchy and easily covered during high school, it became more intense during college. When she tried out for the Cowboys, Latimer wore sew-ins, then transitioned to wigs once she lost all of her hair.
It’s been a journey for Latimer, but she said that once she “truly embraced” her condition, she felt empowered by it. “Alopecia affects so many men and women around the world, and I would rather speak out to bring awareness to this condition than allow people to think negatively about themselves,” she explained. “I never want to be the kind of person who doesn’t step up and speak out for others.”
This article originally appeared on Teen Vogue.
