"I love your accent, say that again!"

"Where are you from?"

"Oh, you have such a thick accent!"

But do they really like my accent?

I've seen people look at me and smile and as soon as I start to speak their heads turn to the side and they have their mind made that I'm ignorant and they plan to respond to me like I'm a child.

Well, I hate to break it to anyone who thinks that people who have a Southern accent are unintelligent, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

I understand there are several Southern stereotypes and some of them are true for some people, but let's not put everyone into a category before actually getting to know each individual.

It's more than just the accent. This same principle can be applied to anyone who is different from you in any way — race, culture, religion, language, anything.

You have no right to judge someone just because they are different from you.

I am here to tell you that it's not OK to point out someone's accent.

Yes, we know exactly how we sound. No, we do not need you to tell us and then proceed to ask us where we are from.

Your snide smirk toward your friend isn't necessary either. It makes you seem uneducated and that you think people who have Southern accents are uneducated.

I always find it funny when people notice my accent and make rude comments about me to a mutual friend. Then the mutual friend ends up telling me because they know me personally and they know I'm nothing like what you think I am.

Fast forward to a month later, and the person who initially made rude comments loves me and can't get enough of me and my accent. Confusing, right?

For anyone who thinks people that have Southern accents are ignorant hillbillies, I'm sorry but you are very wrong.

To all the girls that look at me differently, your boyfriend thinks it's cute.

How do I know? He told me after you walked away while rolling your eyes at me.

To all the people who told me I needed to drop my accent when going into the professional world, my professors tell me that the accent makes me unique and stand out against others.

To the men that talk down to me because I'm a female and then proceed to say how cute my accent is, you're disgusting and you make the male species look like wild animals (no, not all men are like that but now you know what it's like to be stereotyped).

Stop making people with Southern accents feel small, we're more powerful than you think.

And to everyone who has a Southern accent, stop trying to speak "proper." It makes you seem less confident and it also makes you second-guess everything that you say.

Never change who you are. Your accent is a part of you.