[Tam Li Hua]

Ah, late to the party again? Oh well.

To answer the original question in the original post: A lot of folks have terrible misconceptions about Goth and what it is, because a lot of what Goth is about can be disturbing to folks. For instance, my MiL hates un-natural hair colors. When I dyed my hair Vampire Red (Manic Panic) after bleaching it, I thought she was going to burst a gasket! XD And I was in my early 30s at the time.

My best advice for folks you know IRL that you have to interact with: Talk to them as calmly and politely as you can, and explain the things you're interested in. Most folks calm down when they realize that wearing black all the time isn't a bad thing.

Also, I suggested visiting the Gothic Charm School and reading everything Jillian Venters has to say on the subject.

For crazy people on the Internet: Just avoid them. I used to spend a LOT of time on forums and such (including this one), trying to prove myself to folks I didn't know...and who didn't know me. It got so bad, it was starting to affect me IRL. I finally had to quit going to certain sites, and have nearly given up forum posting altogether in recent years. As a result, I've been TONS happier, more relaxed, and more self-assured. So, yeah...beware the Internet comment section! (OTOH, it can be fun to picture what the person you're speaking with online might look like. Seriously, would you even glance in the direction of this person if the two of you met on the street? Is it worth sacrificing your sense of well-being just to try and "win" an argument online? Answer: Nope! It really isn't. )