Living authentically is powerful because it offers the freedom to be fully ourselves without anyone ever having to accept us as we are. Awkwardly, living our authentic selves is contradictory to demanding others accept our authentic selves - they are at odds. They are at odds because if we set the expectation that others allow us to live as we choose, and with the choices we make, it stands to reason we would also hold the assumption we would allow others to live as they chose, and with the choices they make. Were we to only have the expectation without the assumption, we open ourselves up to being in an indefensible position - for how can we truly hold expectations of others we don't hold for ourselves? I call this the level playing field - the rules we set remain constant for how we are to treat others, otherwise an imbalance will occur. Imbalance may sound benign, but it is within that balance of reciprocity we find peace.
If we truly believe that we should decide which behaviors we will tolerate, we must give others the freedom to choose whether or not to tolerate our behavior. Demanding otherwise is akin to allowing others to demand we tolerate theirs - basically dismantling the entire idea surrounding boundaries. This places them on a level playing field as well. While it would be nice if everyone respected our own to the same degree we respected theirs, in no universe are we allowed to demand respect for ours while not simultaneously respecting the ones others have themselves set - yes, whether we like it or not, agree with it or not, or even understand it or not. This is how boundaries work, especially if we wish ours to be respected. Sure we can make those demands, but we will quickly find we've broken any trust we may have had, and once again place ourselves in an indefensible position which leads to imbalance and lack of peace. Fortunately, the solution is actually as easy as it sounds: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
If all this talk of boundaries and authenticity sound confusing, there's a short, easy litmus test which can help gauge where we are in the process, and it is simply this - if living unapologetically authentic brings peace, joy, and happiness, it is being practiced properly. If however living unapologetically authentic continuously places us in precarious positions which do not bring peace or joy or happiness, we need to re-evaluate.