Precisely. Some folks role play ‘normal’ people in public to make it easier. Others rp as ‘crazy’ people to make you keep your distance.

When a book stops just being a ‘book’ and instead becomes ‘lord of the rings’, that’s when cover-judging no longer applies.

In that same way, a person becomes a friend/coworker/family. Until that happens, the only thing you have is the cover.