Men and women are very different. But their worlds align a lot more than some might think. Football fans and musical artist fans share one big thing in common: how they like to express their love for it though the way they dress. Take football fans for example, especially grown men. They will paint their faces, throw on a jersey, and wear full costumes to games. No one bats an eye. People even say things like “They are so passionate about their team they’ve been with since 1997!” Football sunday? More like a grown-man halloween. And we’re not just talking about face paint, some of these dudes turned into walking team mascots. But when music fans do the exact same thing. When they wear cowboy boots, little bows, doc martens, or album inspired looks. Instead of getting praised, they get eye rolls. They get told they are crazy fans. People say, “why are you dressing up for a concert.” My dad went to a football game and said he was screaming so loud that he got light headed. Is dressing up to scream your favorite song in a bad key different from painting your entire torso to yell at a football game? I really don’t think so.

Here’s the really funny thing: both sets of fans are doing the exact same thing—they’re just showing their love for something that they are passionate about. When a guy in his 40s painted himself in his team’s colors they got praised by the Brads and Chads. But when Gracie Abrams, Meghan Moroney, SZA, or Taylor Swift fans (who definitely spent way more time planning their outfits) are usually called “obsessed” or “weird”. I think I smell a double standard.

Here’s where it gets pretty crazy, while football fans are seen as these passionate men, the actual football season comes with a lot of problems. Studies show that during football season, especially when they have a loss, domestic violence rates go up. It’s a troubling reality that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. It’s not something that gets talked about, and no one is saying “Maybe let’s tone it down a bit, we’re getting too intense.” Meanwhile when concert goers are out hear bedazzling jackets to have a good time at their favorite concert they get laughed at. Where’s the logic?

At the end of the day, football fans and music fans are just a bunch of people showing their love, whether it’s for a team of 53 or their pop princess. So whether you’re wearing your jersey or a fun little concert outfit, it’s a fandom. Maybe it’s time to cut some slack and realize that whether it’s about touchdowns or about a G note, it’s something to celebrate, not judge. As one pop princess said, “The worst kind of person is someone who makes someone feel bad, dumb or stupid for being excited about something.”