If I had a dime for every time someone asked me, “Where are you from?” I would be filthy rich. Now, I’m not talking about the people who genuinely ask me because they’re curious. I’m talking about the people who ask me when they hear me speak. I get judgmental looks (yes, I can tell when you’re judging me and when you’re actually listening to what I’m saying).

Yes, I have a southern accent. Yes, I say “y’all” and “ain’t.” Am I really that much of an outsider? Am I different from you in any other way besides the way our voices sound?

There are a few (lot) of things people should stop saying to and assuming about we Southerners.

I have been teased for the way I speak for years. Even still, people comment on my accent. They hear me speak and ask me where I’m from as if I’m going to answer with the name of a foreign planet no one has ever heard of. Seriously. People stare at me and wait for me to answer. They seem so disappointed when I tell them I’m from York, South Carolina. (Many people misunderstand me. They respond with, “OMG, you’re from New York?” And I say, “Does it sound like I’m from New York? No, I’m from York, South Carolina.” This conversation happens at least once per day.) Do people really need to stare at me with wide eyes and parted lips when I speak? I’m still a person (shocking, I know).

Why does my accent have to define me as a person?

Do people think I’m a redneck? I have a Southern drawl that’s stronger than others, but why do I get teased for it? Does my Southern accent make me sound dumb?

I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t! My Southern accent is a part of me and it does not dumb me down (being a blonde doesn’t help my case, either. People put blonde and Southern together and automatically think I’m all beauty, no brains).

People need to stop stereotyping Southerners. We don’t “slur our words” because we’re dumb. We don’t always wear overalls, boots and plaid button-ups. We don’t sleep with our cousins. Not all of us live on farms. We don’t wash our clothes in the creek. We are not all white, we are not all racist, we are not all Christians and we are not all conservative.

What really blows my mind is when Southerners tell me they’re ashamed of being from the South. WHAT? How could you be ashamed of the place you come from—the place that shaped the amazing person you are today?

Someone once told me: “I’m from the South, but I try not to talk like [you] when I’m away from home.” Other people make fun of me. It’s not the same when my friends tease me; I know the difference. Someone once had a legitimate argument with me over how I pronounced the word “Reese’s.” Of course, according to him, I was wrong. (Apparently, it’s ree-sehs and not ree-sees. Thanks, drunk guy from that one party, but news flash: neither of us is really wrong.)

These comments and accusations offended me. My feelings (and yes, we Southerners have feelings) were hurt. How could people from the South be ashamed of themselves? Why would they want to be someone else? Why would they want to cover up their accents?

And then I realized: they do these things because they’ve been trained to think that their accent and speech patterns are unintelligent and goofy. Many people from the South are trying to change who they are because of how others view their Southern culture, but why let other people have a say in who you are as a person?

If you sound “funny” to them, chances are, they sound “funny” to you.

The next time someone asks me where I’m from, and I tell them I’m from the South, I hope they don’t tell me, “Yeah, it sounds like it” or ask me to pronounce this or that. I know I have an accent, but I’m not ashamed of it. I sure as hell won’t change the way I speak to please anyone. If you can understand me, I’m speaking just fine.

It’s time for people to stop treating Southerners like we’re a unique group of individuals. We’re people, and we deserve respect.

Stereotyping Southerners was so 2k10. Let’s discuss more important matters. Thanks, Y’ALL. Oh, and tell your mom "and them" I said hey.

People from the South are no different from people from the North or people from the West or people from overseas. The way we speak should not define who we are and you should never make assumptions based on someone's accent. Grow up. Accept people for who they are. Listen to what people say rather than how people say it.