I too feel that folks should be judged based on the merits of what they bring to the job, not their clothes, car, skin tone, sexual orientation, or whether they like dogs or cats.

Unfortunately, we are human and we make assumptions based on what someone looks like...the trick is to get past those assumptions and find out what the person really is all about.

I would also like to think that it would be great if others thought as you, but realistically speaking the stories you relate probably won't be the last you or I experience...sad but true.

I suppose the best we can hope for is to just try to be more aware of how we act and hope the example spreads a bit