The women of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have always been as famous as the players who make up the NFL organization dubbed America’s Team.

The latest reality television show dedicated to the squad, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, returned for a second season on Netflix, and this installment of the show explores the lives of Jada Mclean and Armani Latimer as they navigate everything from wearing their natural hair during big show days to fighting for equal pay alongside their teammates.

The biggest takeaway from this season

“I think the most important thing is to remember that we’re human,” Latimer told Blavity’s Shadow and Act, echoing the words of her former teammate Kelsey Wedderberg, who urged audiences to remember the humanity behind the glamour.

“We do have this beautiful title of being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, but there’s still a person that has to take on that role. And so with that comes growth. With that comes mistakes and flaws,” she continued. “None of us are perfect, even though that is, you know, the stereotype that a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader has to be perfect. I think, in all, we know that we’re all human. We know that we are all able and willing to forgive others, if mistakes happen.”

Mclean told us, “I hope people learn to give us a little more grace in situations. It’s easy to just come after us, or come after the organization, or whatever you may see online, and run with the things that you’re hearing, but give us grace. We’re human beings. This is our first time at this, too, and we’re just doing our best.”

On flaunting their natural hair

For Mclean, there was a parking lot moment between her and DCC director Kelli Finglass, who spotted the cheerleader rocking her natural curls. Finglass noted that she wanted Mclean to “look like that” when performing before dozens of fans and viewers across the country.

“I thought I was going to come into this team by straightening my hair, and then curling it. That was going to be my look,” Mclean told Blavity. “I knew in my heart that that wasn’t something that was going to work. The minute I sweat, my hair was going to go back to its natural state. Yet, I still wanted to fit the mold, and I wanted my hair to look like everyone else’s. So that conversation was special to me. Truly, just to feel like someone saw my beauty in my natural state more than I even saw myself, it definitely shifted my mindset.”

She added, “Committing to that for the last five years, and just committing to being my natural self, it’s changed me, and I hope it inspires little girls. I didn’t have someone to look up to. There wasn’t anyone that I saw in my life that had her natural hair pattern, accepted it, and was confident in herself. I think that’s why I wasn’t either.”

Similarly, Latimer went on a healing journey with her hair, opening up about her struggle with alopecia, or hair loss, and the toll it took on her both mentally and emotionally. 

At one point, she even danced with her wig off while on-screen during the show’s second season, something that she said took a while for her to come to terms with.

“I always knew that it might be something that I wanted to do,” Latimer said. “I always got comments on Instagram photos, like, ‘You should dance without your wig,’ and I saw them. I would just kind of read them and keep on pushing about my day. But, I knew coming up on what I would think would be my last year, I wanted to do something bigger and special for the cause that I was planning on representing.”

After a chat with Finglass, who loved the idea, Latimer had all the validation and support required to take such a bold move. That, coupled with endless love from her teammates, made the moment twice as special.

“I don’t think I could really hear ‘Thunderstruck,’ because all I heard was 35 women in the background screaming, yelling, and crying for me, and it was just a beautiful experience,” she said. “I think knowing that I had them all on my side was just beautiful for me, and accepting it fully in that moment — I had already accepted it — but just like fully accepting it and what it could mean for everyone else. And I think once I saw all of the positive comments that I’ve received, all of the people who have reached out saying, ‘I have alopecia too, now I’m going to feel comfortable talking about it with my family members, and eventually sharing it with everyone else.’ Little boys and little girls, along with their parents, are reaching out to me. It’s just been incredible, and I think this is a beautiful movement for the alopecia community as a whole.”

A well-deserved pay raise

Another groundbreaking moment during this season of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders was the 400% pay raise they received. Before that, some members revealed they were only earning roughly $15 to $20 per hour, or about $500 per game.

“That was very frustrating, and it was discouraging, but we stayed together. We always said we’re going to do this together,” Mclean said. “We’re going to fight for what we are worth, and I’m glad that the organization, at the end of the day, heard us.”

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.