Fans React to Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Armani Latimer’s Bold Move for Alopecia Awareness

The 23-year-old took to Monday Night Football without her wig in the hopes of empowering young women.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders / Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys may have been defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals by a final score of 27-20 on Monday, Dec. 9, but DCC Armani Latimer certainly came away a winner on the night.

The 23-year-old University of South Carolina alumna took to the field in her typical blue-and-white Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform, with one noticeable difference: Latimer chose to not wear her wig in order to raise awareness for alopecia.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders / Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

After the official DCC Instagram account posted a video of Latimer tearfully getting ready to take the field on Dec. 9, with the full support of her teammates, the comments section was flooded with support for her public display of courage.

“I know she had her fears... But I bet she feels so free now! No more hiding😍👏👏🔥❤️❤️❤️,” one person noted in the comments section.

“I am sooooo proud of you for being so vulnerable in this crazy world ❤️,” someone else chimed.

“It’s not about the hair ❤️,” another person noted. “You are glowing 🔥.”

“Gorgeous! Her smile lights up the field,” one fan observed.

Diagnosed with hair loss at the age of 12, Latimer began losing small patches that eventually became larger due to stress. Once her hair started falling out completely, shortly after she joined the DCC squad, Latimer began to wear wigs. In a new interview with Women’s Health, she said that her teammates really got her through that tough period in her life.

“Overall, my team and my family helped me maintain a positive mindset,” she told the publication. “I wouldn't be anywhere without my support system, and I always want to provide support for those who don’t have any ... I don’t believe we’re supposed to do life alone, and without my people, I wouldn’t have been able to break boundaries and be the woman I am today.”

Now, Latimer is using her public platform to raise awareness for alopecia by, for example, boldly taking to AT&T Stadium for Monday Night Football without her wig.

“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,” Latimer told Women’s Health. “ ... There’s so much societal pressure that comes with being a woman—we don’t need more. We can be empowered by so many things, and you don’t need your hair to feel that.”