I am so fed up with hearing "feminists can't wear this" or "Christians can't do that" or "vegans can't buy this"...the list goes on and on.

I get it. We are constantly surrounded by rules. Don't chat with your neighbor. Raise your hand before you speak. Don't leave the room without permission. Kidding. That list was inspired by some rules of a kindergarten classroom.

Maybe six-year-olds do need rules. Perhaps our desire for clearly defined laws roots from our childhoods. But grown men and women do not need the black and white as much as people who otherwise shove crayons in each other's ears.

It is not fair to make someone question their beliefs because of our own personal definitions of good and bad.

I'm going to start with feminism because it is most widely addressed in this fashion. A woman who negotiates her pay and a woman who chooses not to. A woman who responds to cat-calling and a woman who refrains. A woman who wears a burka and a woman who wears a bikini. None of these women are more feminist than the other.

Certainly, I act in my own feminist ways--writing articles, joining women's interest groups, worshiping Beyoncé, and so on. But that doesn't mean that a person who is indifferent about Beyoncé is not feminist; it just means that person hasn't listened to Beyoncé.

The same goes for organized religion. A Hindu who eats barbecued chicken is no less Hindu than a Hindu who eats veggie burgers. A Muslim woman who wears a hijab is no more Muslim than her friend who chooses not to. Scriptures are intended to be a guide for all religious people, but not a reason to ridicule other religious people. "Are you religious?" is such a silly question. Everyone who identifies with any religion is religious. "Religious" is not some heavenly label reserved for the people who follow the most rules.

We are long past the days when you had to worry about your naturally curly or colored hair before going to work. Statement jewelry and chiffon blouses are a thing because "business professional" is not a black blazer and a white button-down shirt anymore.

Your life shouldn't be black and white either. Strict common laws are necessary for traffic and board games, not for our beliefs and our values. Values are different from person to person, and they stem from guided standards that are up for interpretation. Don't tear someone down for not following your interpretation. They're not misguided; they have a different guide.