Not for men only.

Whistle-blowing as a unisex skill

Two views about America's problems with race and gender were upended by two women with the guts to referee in the National Basketball Association.

One view holds that America has become race- and gender-obsessed, quota-ridden, politically correct to a fault. The answer of this camp is to declare the problem of discrimination solved, to toss out affirmative action and to cease talking about race, gender and "past injustices." The other camp sees America as so hopelessly racist and sexist that only the most rigorous forms of affirmative action will keep prejudice at bay. In its extreme forms, it would retreat into race, gender, and ethnic enclaves where "diversity" becomes not a description of how varied we are but a prescription for organizing the United States as a collection of tribes. Of course, these are "ideal types," as the sociologists say, and thus oversimplify. But I bet you recognize them.

A third view might be called "liberal," if that word were not so unfashionable. It's also hopeful. It shares the first camp's belief that the United States has made great progress in beating back prejudice. It holds that no one should be reduced to his or her race, ethnicity, or gender. But with the second camp, it believes this progress cannot be taken for granted, that some pressure is still needed to fight discrimination, that individuals advance by combinations of individual effort and collective assertion.

That's where the NBA's new women refs come in. Nobody doubts that Violet Palmer, thirty-three, and Dee Kantner, thirty-seven, got their jobs on merit. They worked their way up. NBA officials had plenty of opportunity to watch them perform. This summer, Kantner served as the supervisor of officials in the Women's NBA, and Palmer was a ref there in its inaugural season. Kantner officiated in four women's national championship games in the NCAA, while Palmer has worked the last two women's NCAA championships. Seeing talent, the NBA invited both to its referee summer training program.

Like many who break barriers, Kantner and Palmer want to be individuals, not symbols. Yet they also hope other women will take heart from their success. "I don't think Violet or I would ever say our intention is to be trailblazers," said Kantner. "If one of the aftereffects is that women are given opportunities ... obviously we're in favor of that. Our focus now is to referee in the National Basketball Association to the best of our ability."

Will they face challenges and stereotyping? You bet. As Amy Shipley reported in the Washington Post, Charles Barkley of the Houston Rockets snapped recently: "I don't think women should be in the Army, and I don't think they should be NBA refs." In a preseason game, Michael Jordan complained Kantner got in his way and his fellow Chicago Bulls seemed to try to trip her. But Jordan got with the program this week. "If they can referee, they can referee no matter what sex they are."

These are tough women. They can take this - and more. "Confrontation is part of being a referee," said Palmer. "If players cross the line, they will receive a technical foul." Getting tossed from a game should convince the rude and recalcitrant that women refs have the same authority as men.

If Palmer and Kantner rose on merit and without lawsuits, their skills were able to shine through because of the aggressive efforts by advocates of women's rights and women's sports. Thanks to Title IX, requiring fairer public spending on women's school sports, and to cultural changes that lead us to take women's sports more seriously, Palmer and Kantner got reffing opportunities that caught the eye of the NBA.

The point of affirmative action is not to create piles of "preferences" for pre-sorted groups, but to acknowledge that prejudice requires specific remedies beyond standard operating procedure. The NBA took an "affirmative" step in breaking with past traditions to give these women a chance.

Ultimately, affirmative action is about helping individuals take full advantage of their skills. That's easier in the military and in sports, where rules can be clear and advancement patterns carefully worked out. But saving the best of affirmative action is worth doing, as Palmer and Kantner have shown us.

And now for baseball: No game needs a fresher set of eyes. As baseball owners debate all their contorted schemes for making the national pastime more popular, they might take the simple step of giving us a few women umps. The women might then launch their own affirmative-action campaign to convince their guy colleagues to agree on one strike zone for all.