Self acceptance is so difficult. In HS and college I was about 40lbs overweight with acne, glasses, and braces. I felt like I had to do a complete 180 in order to get a guy's attention.
I got Accutane, a wig, lose 40lbs, took off my braces, got contacts, got a new wardrobe, EVERYTHING. I'm usually very active and I like traditionally "male" activities such as weight training, exercise, and tech related things.
Still, not getting the type of guy I want. I'm more like a quiet, nerdy, tomboy. So I tried even harder to look different. I started considering surgery. That's how UGLY I thought I was. Tried even harder to be "traditionally" feminine. I even tried changing my hobbies to be more feminine. I must've been on dates with at least 20+ guys and I didn't like ANY of them.
One day I got tired of the straight wig and got box braids. I took some regular pics of me in a t-shirt and put it on my online profile. I even put some pics of me in my glasses. FINEST DUDE EVER messages me. Fine like I never thought that type of guy would be into me fine. We meet for drinks and we make out all night. Like 3 hours straight.
I was super honest about my corniness and my masculine hobbies. I thought he was going to run away but it didn't really seem to bother him. I thought that in order to be with a guy like that, I would have to change myself COMPLETELY into what I THOUGHT I SHOULD BE. I also thought it was levels to dating. I thought I would have to date some not-so-hot guys and then slowly evolve. I didn't expect it to just happen out the gate like that. He straight up looks like my childhood celebrity crush.
It eventually didn't work out with the guy but BOY did he ever teach me a lesson! It wasn't that men weren't accepting me, I wasn't accepting MYSELF. Now I work more and more on just being my authentic self.