"The right to just be themselves has been denied so much that it's hard to know what's acceptable and unacceptable."

That's it, exactly. I have been struggling to finish school because I kept 'choosing' majors that my mother thought I should do, despite the fact that it was very much against my personality and preferences. I finally said 'enough' and changed my major one last time to the major I have ALWAYS wanted. My mother hated it, and would say I would never get hired/make money at my chosen major. However, I busted my ass in school, graduated with a 4.0, received praise from the head of my department, as well as help to find jobs, and kicked so much ass at my internships that I have been asked to do an international presentation on some data I compiled and analyzed. NOW she posts on Facebook about how she's always encouraged me to do what I dreamed of doing, how because of her, I got my 4.0 (Not the twenty million hours of studying hard, while working 40+ hours and internships 20+ hours), etc. The only encouragement I had was from my siblings, my father AND my academic adviser who is the kickiest of ass-kicking women. She kept me going when I wanted to quit because it was so much, and when I got sick, fixed it so that instead of waiting for a class to come back around (our school worked on a wheel, and my graduation would have to wait an add'l six months if I waited for the class to be available), so she arranged it so that I took that class, with just me and her, one day a week on campus and the rest online.

And I get you on that 'hate in real life for just being me' thing. I'm child-free and asexual, so, it's not uncommon for people to tell me what THEY think is wrong with me for those reasons. 'You'll be a great mom!' (No, I don't think so, and regardless of your opinion, I still say no), and 'Just try sex, once! You might like it!', um. No. Don't want to. Shouldn't have to justify that to ANYONE. It's amazing what people think they deserve an opinion on when it comes to other people's lives. Sex, child-rearing (or lack thereof), and religion (or lack thereof, again), all seem to be fair game for people, even strangers you've just met. Is it hurting you? Me? Anyone else? No? Then STFU, thank you.