Jon Reyes, the newest member of the San Francisco 49ers’ Gold Rush cheerleading squad, has a message for the haters: “I’m on the field. So bye, gurl!”
Reyes, proudly gay and in his first season cheering in the NFL, is breaking barriers and living his lifelong dream. Speaking to Outsports, Reyes opened up about his journey from dancing in high school to performing on one of the league’s biggest stages — and doing so unapologetically queer.
A Trailblazer Steps Aside — And Inspires
Reyes took inspiration from his friend and former 49ers cheerleader Jonathan Romero, who made history as the first male member of the squad. When Romero retired, Reyes saw his chance.
“Him retiring was some sort of encouragement… I think I can be the next person to do that,” Reyes said.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the US from age six, Reyes has been dancing since his school days, but his current role marks his first professional cheerleading job — and it just happens to be in the NFL.
Representation on the Sidelines
While male cheerleaders are still a rarity in the league, Reyes says he’s felt nothing but respect and professionalism from players and coaching staff.
“I haven’t had any weird experiences,” he said. “Whenever I see a coach or I’m in the same room as them, there is an acknowledgement. There’s always a ‘thank you for having us, thank you for having me’ — it’s very professional.”
Not Everyone Is Cheering
Despite growing visibility, male cheerleaders — especially queer ones — still attract criticism. When news broke earlier this year that the Minnesota Vikings had added male cheerleaders, some right-wing commentators went into meltdown.
One such voice, Infowars host Owen Shroyer, tweeted:
“Imagine you buy front row season football tickets and when you sit down there’s some man gyrating right in front of you.”
Reyes is unbothered.
“Guess what? I’m on the field. So bye, gurl!”
Queer Visibility in Pro Sports
Reyes joins a small but growing number of openly gay men making space in traditionally hyper-masculine sports. He stands on the shoulders of trailblazers like Napoleon Jinnies, who became the first male NFL cheerleader with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.
For Reyes, being visible isn’t just about personal fulfilment — it’s also about shifting the culture.
“Just me being there already is part of the work,” he said.
