Sarah Thomas recently became the first permanent female official for the NFLâÄôs regular-season games. She was a collegiate official for Conference USA, but sheâÄôll now join seven other officials in the NFL this fall. A part of me wonders why a female official has never been hired until now. Has the NFL truly never had a female candidate with the expected skills, or has it just been prejudiced? Either way, itâÄôs encouraging to see that Thomas was hired for the NFL despite footballâÄôs hyper-masculinity. Some people have expressed criticism of ThomasâÄô past performance, questioning whether she really has what it takes to be an official. Others question whether the NFL hired her as a political statement. These are examples of a slight prejudice âÄî they demonstrate that the NFL canâÄôt hire a woman without some people thinking that she canâÄôt do what male officials can. Sadly, there are still prejudices against the sexes in the workplace. This is especially prevalent in sports, which often emphasize the âÄútoughnessâÄù of men while the cheerleaders dance on the sidelines. More women should challenge the stereotypes that women are meant to look pretty, support men and be soft, not tough. In no way am I criticizing football players or cheerleaders. I believe these people work very hard. ItâÄôs just refreshing that a woman was finally hired as an official, not a dancer or a cheerleader. IâÄôm rooting for Thomas, and I look forward to seeing her show off her skills as the NFLâÄôs first permanent female official.