Line judge Shannon Eastin will make history Thursday night when she works the Green Bay Packers-San Diego Chargers game in San Diego. She won't be the last female official.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that more female officials are around the corner, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles. It's a little unclear if there will be more female officials among replacement crews or possibly that some will be added if the NFL Referees Association and the NFL end their standoff. (We suspect it will be female officials among the replacements.)
Eastin says she has received great support since news emerged that she would begin working games. Charles Woodson of the Packers summed up our feelings when he said "it's probably about time."
Woodson is right, of course. This story has reminded me how ingrained sexism still is in parts of our culture. It says a lot that Woodson is seen as progressive just because he knows it's well overdue that females are working games. It's a bit of an embarrassment that a league that stresses diversity has lagged behind in this area for so long.
"I just hope with every step I can continue to show people out there that it really does not matter, male or female, as long as we work hard," Eastin said Tuesday.
