Politics: it's messy. But does it have to be? Hear me out.

Obviously, there has been some political tension since the Trump Presidency. However, I am not here to write about that, specifically, nor to advocate for one side or the other. I am, though, here to remind everyone that we are all still human -- a label is just a label; it is up to us to provide meaning for it.

In my recent experiences, I have encountered many people claiming to avoid conversing with people who share opposing political beliefs to them because they see "no point" in talking with them, clearly because they are "wrong." Generally speaking, a person who identifies more conservatively is more likely to actively have political conversations with someone who also shares their beliefs than with someone who may be more liberal, and vise versa. Additionally, we are quick to make judgments upon people solely based off how they politically identify. Without even taking into consideration as to why they may identify a certain way or hearing what they have to say, we quickly place people into boxes of acceptance or rejection as soon as a political label is thrown at us.

Something I said to a reporter during an interview with the Washington Post: "just like sexuality, politics and political preference is fluid." I would like to kindly emphasize this to my fellow peers and readers. Go have a conversation with someone whom you would not think you would agree with. Emphasis on conversation, which means both parties hear one another out and take into consideration every factor shared. I am not saying that you have to find a way to agree with them because if you still do not see some topics eye to eye, that is absolutely okay and expected. But, how do you truly know someone if you do not have any conversation with them?

You can disagree with someone but still be friends with them. If we really are going to start basing our friendships and relationships solely off of labels people may or may not identify with, well, we might as well start wearing around name tags with our party preferences on them just to make it easier. Odds are, that you have something in common with someone who may have opposing beliefs because a label does not define a person, as a whole. In fact, some of the best relationships I have personally had have been with people who shared opposing beliefs from me.

We must learn to hear one another out rather than blindly following our ignorance and reinstating stereotypes. At the end of the day, we are all human and we must learn to be more compassionate with one another. Let's be better humans and it can start with the art of listening to one another and inviting conversations.