Congratulations for singing to support a wonderful cause ! I have not had the pleasure of getting to know you well since joining this forum, so I do not know what you mean by "why can't I get past this", or why folks in your own community would be sorta "sizing you up" etc., but a trick I learned when recovering from my agoraphobia/panic/anxiety and returning to public speaking and singing - I just pretended everyone there was naked except me. Daggone it - they sure didn't have any right to judge ME, cuz I at least had wore the proper attire ! Perhaps this would help you in the future ! :-) (Best fun I ever had was speaking to over 400 mental health workers from psychiatrists to psychologists etc = when I run into them even now - and that was over 12 years ago - and they comment they heard me speak at UVA Hall a number of years back - I can hardly contain myself thinking "OH - you were one of those nekkkkkkkid people "!!!!!!!

Most of my singing is in Church now - and I don't use that same "coping skill" there - just doesnt seem right! LOL !!

Again, congrats for singing......and I hope you can move past what others were thinking - cause at least YOU were doing something for a great cause - and if they were just there to judge people - WHO is the better person?