Great Post. I am female and I am white. I do speak about topics that I am not professionally qualified for, I have studied many subjects in college and have a big variety of interests. People need to look at other people as people not based on society segregation. I see you for you not what you believe or your gender or your education, etc...
As you said, It is about seeing the individual, being sensitive to them not generalising them based on broad brush judgements.
Everyone should be encouraged to speak up and we should raise our children to do the same.
We should also have the courage to listen and raise our children to do the same.