I was at Wal-Mart last Friday running an errand for my father and while I was standing in line, a transgender woman stood behind me talking on the phone. A few minutes later, the lady in front of me turned around and took a picture of the transgender woman and told another customer that the transgender woman qualified as a “people of Wal-Mart” post.

I thought we were past the whole “I’m going to judge someone else because they are different than me” phase?

It is human nature to form thoughts about a person as soon as you see them, but making the conscious decision to not judge someone before you get to know them is what defines the kind of person you are. You can choose to motivate others or tear them down but what you choose to do leaves a mark. It decides what other people are going to think of you and what those people are going to think of themselves. We have the luxury of free speech in this country and we take advantage of it.

The great thing about individuality is that everyone has the freedom to be different. No one should have to worry about whether or not their hair is styled the right way or if the feelings they have for someone are wrong. There aren’t laws against changing genders to be comfortable in your own skin or for defending your right as a human being on this planet. Why is it that we set all these standards based on how people look or seem but we get upset when we are judged by the same standards?

Unless the way someone is living their life is somehow impacting yours, you do not get to criticize them. It does not help anything or anyone and it makes you a bad person.