Gabriel, when I was a teenager I felt that it was important to "be who I was" as do you, as I got older it occured to me that some of my behaviors were actually motivated by my un-requited need for love. But since I was basicly unfamiliar with "love" I settled for "attention", which I acquired thru my "deviant behaviors" which scream to the world, "look at me, I must be loved a great deal and I'm very special because I live by my own rules" this went on for some time but eventually also became unsatisfing... whats my point? people see you for what you are,despite what you "show them" and the christian faith I practice teaches us to die to the self and to live in Christ, I'm not justifying some of the peoples stand-offish reaction to you just explaining it. we all tend to forget about the road we've traveled at times and choose to see others judgementally, (not right) if you truly desire to have a relationship with Christ then nothing can stop that, (except for yourself) we all have to work to get beyond that, it begins when we see OURSELVES for who an what we really are, and realize our need for saving redemption and invite the Lord into our hearts that we can live in his forgivness and experience the "joy of the Lord" or the peace that passes all understanding, trade in all that you posess for this 'pearl of great value" okay, sermon's over...