Beauty does come in all types of forms. That’s the message Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Armani Latimer, showcased in December while cheering at a home Cowboys game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
After receiving a diagnosis of alopecia, the African-American woman decided to step up and highlight how beautiful you can be standing in your strength.
Alopecia impacts 2% of the population, according to the National Institute of Health and often presents as patchy hair or bald spots.
Speaking with a Texas NBC 5 station, Latimer, shared, “Going out on a football field without a wig, cheering in front of 80,000 people, just looking back at the young lady who was sitting in front of her mirror crying because she didn’t have any hair left on her head,” said Latimer. “I tend to get emotional thinking about that journey, but I honestly sitting here today looking back at it, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
With a smile from ear to ear on the field that night, confidence radiating from Latimer was hard to miss. Having had autoimmune alopecia since the age of 12, Latimer is no stranger to grinning and bearing through adversity. The star cheerleader also shared that without support of her loved ones, she might not have continued with her passion. Without the support of a Cowboys cheerleader coach, the stress may have been too much. “I had that conversation with Kelli Finglass, our director, and she immediately said: if you’re comfortable with it, then I love the idea of you doing that,” said Latimer. “It was the most beautiful moment that God could have created honestly,” she told NBC DFW.
Going viral for her confidence and beauty on social media following her debut without a wig on the football field, support for Latimer has been monumental. She received national news coverage, also drawing attention to the advocacy of alopecia. Hoping to inspire other little girls who may have or deal with alopecia, she believes sharing her story is a great start to allowing everyone with the autoimmune disease to be confident in themselves.
Serving as an advocate for alopecia through her Instagram, Latimer shares a look inside her own journey with the disease on top of encouraging others with alopecia to highlight their uniqueness, build confidence, and find community through the shared experience.