In front of Winona Ryder’s hilariously expressive facial expressions, and surrounded by his “Stranger Things” cast members, David Harbour gave an exhilarating cry to action against fear, narcissism, and exclusivity at the 2017 SAG Awards. Weeks earlier, Meryl Streep’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes called out President Trump and urged the defense of a free press. And throughout the 2016 Presidential election, various celebrities rallied behind Hillary Clinton, including Beyonce and the entire cast of “West Wing.”

As more and more celebrities reveal their political views, criticisms of bias and disgust at those using their platform to influence voters becomes more and more frequent, occasionally from one of their own. Mark Wahlberg, for example, said that celebrities should keep their political opinions to themselves because the “bubble” in which they live and privilege they have limits them from understanding the issues of others.

With the same logic, wouldn’t this limit even ordinary people who can voice their own political opinions to those that are marginalized and discriminated against? And in what way does keeping their political views to themselves make them seem less privileged and more like us?

Celebrities do have privilege that a staggering majority of the population does not, but why should that limit their right to speak their mind?

Politics is unavoidable. They make up every aspect of the world: education, healthcare, finance, and the environment. Almost everything we do is affected by politics every single day, making it virtually inescapable. Everyone has opinions, and when politics dictate so much of our lives, it’s hard to have opinions that aren’t political.

In this stressful political climate, everyone should be encouraged to actively participate in the democratic process. We all have opinions, we all react to our surroundings, and we all tell others our thoughts with the hope that they will be heard and understood.

This may be the single scenario in which I agree that the stars are just like us. Wealth and fame should not limit their ability to be a human being, and should not take away their right to speak their minds. The First Amendment gives every American this right, and those who expect their own voices to be heard must understand that they cannot silence others hoping to do the same.

Whether over social media, television, or an awards show, celebrities have large audiences and the privilege to express their opinions to millions of people. They have the ability to influence and to make real change, and a speech at an awards show with an audience of millions is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Though I—as a devoted Taylor Swift fan—was admittedly disappointed at her choice to stay out of politics in the last election, I do believe that celebrities have the right to do so. But with the tumultuous election, a grossly misogynistic candidate, and the possibility of a milestone for women at stake, I expected more of Swift, and endorsements aside, believe she should have spoken out. When there is the risk of staggering injustices and discrimination, staying neutral is equivalent to doing nothing.

The real issue isn’t the expression of opinions, but rather not agreeing with them. Though I may support Harbour’s SAG Awards speech against violence and hypocrisy, and though I may encourage previously-apolitical Taylor Swift’s recent endorsement of Phil Bredesen, I still believe that Roseanne Barr and Jon Voight have the right to speak their own opinions—just not the racist, anti-semitic ones they usually voice.

There are many reasons to criticize Hollywood, ranging from racial diversity to gender discrimination. Speeches alone cannot fix anything, but shocking the system and calling attention to an issue is as good a place to start.

Many conservatives express frustration and are critical of celebrities’ involvement, especially because they believe celebrities have no political experience and know nothing about policies.

If this is true, why did they make one our President?