2 weeks Ago By Daniel Trainor
Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Armani Latimer shined brightest in the Lone Star State on Monday night. Latimer, 23, who lives with alopecia, took to the field Monday, November 9 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas without a wig for the first time as the Cowboys battled the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The cheerleader first revealed she had been diagnosed with the condition, which causes hair loss, on Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders earlier this year.
In a clip shared via Instagram on Monday, Latimer could be seen getting emotional as she and the squad made their way to the field. “We’re so proud that you’re doing this and you’re representing a lot of little girls out there,” a fellow cheerleader told her. “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.
” After the game, Latimer’s teammates continued to express their admiration for Latimer’s bravery. “It is truly one of the greatest honors to be your teammate,” DCC member and America’s Sweetheart star Reece Weaver wrote via Instagram. “You have been made for such a time as this.
I love you so much 💜” DCC’s Charly Barby commented on the video, “I will cry every time I watch this ❤️Armani you are truly my idol in every single way. You embody everything a leader should be, have truly become my best friend, and my rock!! I’m so excited that the world gets to see how inspiring and amazing you are!!!!” Latimer discovered she suffered from hair loss when she was 11 years old, officially being diagnosed with alopecia when she was 12. “My mother tried to help me adjust to my new normal by not making me feel like it was a big deal,” Latimer told Women’s Health in a story published Tuesday, December 10.
“And when I was a child, it wasn’t. I didn’t have many bald spots, and the ones I did have — on the center of my head and the nape of my neck — were easy to cover up with mom’s help.” Latimer said her bald spots got more “pronounced” as she got older, and would use sew-ins as her cheerleading career began picking up steam, before eventually wearing wigs while performing.
You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Eventually, Latimer revealed she was motivated to take off the wig as a way to inspire young girls dealing with hair loss. “I figure that if I can overcome my negative self-talk and self-defeating mindset, I can help change the experience for the next 12-year-old who gets diagnosed,” she said.
“She can start healing early instead of waiting until she’s 23, like me. There’s so much societal pressure that comes with being a woman — we don’t need more.” Latimer added, “We can be empowered by so many things, and you don’t need your hair to feel that.
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