NFL’s Female Official A First, Sarah Thomas’ Job As The First Female Referee A Feminist Victory For Women?


An NFL female official in a permanent job position would be a new first, with rumors saying that the NFL will make Sarah Thomas the first female referee in American football history. But does Thomas view this possibility as a feminist victory or just a natural progression of the sport?

In a related report by the Inquisitr, NFL hall of famer Deion Sanders publicly called out his son on Twitter when Junior talked about the hood life even though he’s very well off financially in comparison to almost all young men in America.

Technically, Sarah Thomas will not be the first NFL female official in league history. Several years ago, an NFL lockout for a game between the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams had the league hiring Shannon Eastin as a replacement referee, but Thomas will be the first to hold the full-time job over the long term. Thomas was also the first woman official for an NCAA game in 2007, and she has spent time in the NFL’s referee developmental program. Back in 2013, it was believed Thomas might be hired as an NFL female official, but they apparently pushed back the decision until today.

This is all unofficial at the moment. The league has not denied the news of the first NFL female official, but it’s possible Sarah Thomas’ name will be on the 2015 NFL roster.

“The 2015 roster of officials has not yet been finalized,” a NFL spokesperson said, according to NBC Sports. “When it is, the new officials for 2015 and the entire roster will be announced.”

According to Cleveland.com, even if Thomas is hired permanently as the first female referee, she probably would prefer to be viewed as just one of the guys, not a feminist symbol.

“Being raised with brothers I’m just one of the guys, I guess,” she said. “I don’t try to be one of the guys. I am a female, but I don’t look at myself as just a female. I look at myself as an official. With their respect and the respect that I have for them, it just doesn’t feel like it’s a male-dominated profession.”

She also has a tendency to tuck her long blond hair into her cap in order to blend in with the male referees.

“Yes, I think sometimes they go ‘what is that?’ Thomas said, smiling. “I like it when I leave the field and people go ‘I told you that was a girl.'”

Sarah Thomas

What do you think about Sarah Thomas’ thoughts about becoming the first NFL female official?

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