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Three Cheers For This High School's First Transgender Cheerleader

Literal #squadgoals.

Seventeen-year-old Anry Fuentes struggled with her gender and sexual identity throughout her adolescence – eventually realizing she was transgender during her junior year of high school. And along with that courageous process, Anry crossed another milestone: She became the first transgender cheerleader on her high school squad.

"When I was first trying out for the cheer squad, I wasn't like, 'I'm going to be the first transgender girl,'" she told People. "I was just trying out because I wanted to be a cheerleader, and I wanted to dance and cheer."

In fact, when Anry first joined the squad at Denair High School, in Denair, California, she still identified as a boy. She gathered her teammates to tell them she would be transitioning, and they immediately welcomed her with open arms. "They were like, 'We support you for who you are. We love you, and it's not going to change anything. We're not going to see you any differently,'" Anry said. "No one has ever made me feel weird or like I shouldn't be there. They're really supportive."

Gimme a G, gimme an O, gimme an R-G-E-O-U-S. What does it spell? Anry!!!

Is it just us, or could she and Vanessa Hudgens be sisters? Hey Hollywood, maybe a High School Musical version of Anry's inspiring story is in order?

We couldn't be happier for Anry and her teammates – they're a shining example of how communication, love, acceptance and understanding can combine to make this world a more beautiful – and in this case, cheerful – place. Go team!

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