"Growing a thicker skin" gets tossed about all over the place when somebody really means, "I've been acting like a jerk, what'cha gonna do about it?"
My other refereeing passion is soccer. (Thank goodness FLL and FRC seasons usually don't overlap with soccer season.) There has been much speculation about this video on the soccer bb's lately:
http://vgportal.thesun.co.uk/sol/hom...clattered.html
Sian Massey is the only female referee in the English Premier League. Earlier in the season a promenent TV commentator was fired over his sexist remarks about her. Now this incident - did the player mean it? Was she run over intentionally? Why didn't he at least check if she was OK?
As far as we have come, we have not gotten rid of sexism and racism in society. Hopefully graciously professional behavior can serve to further the process toward everyone eventually being equal, so no one has to be told to "grow a thicker skin."