To Goth or Not To Goth...

Absolutely. And for some Goths it really is about the rebellious part (showing off how they don't fit in), for others they just do what they like and feel comfortable with. Especially the latter group has to deal with being confronted with the same preconceptions people have about a group that dresses in a certain way. Unfortunately, as long as you wear this particular style, you will have to deal with these prejudices - I don't think one can expect people to educate themselves about the all the aspects of one subculture, they see black and then draw their conclusions. What you can expect though, is for people to have an open mind and do the not judging a book by it's cover-thing. But we live in a world full of ignorant a-holes and stupid people, so it's wishful thinking.... just think about that LA Clippers guy and how long he has been flying under the radar with his racial world-view.
Luckily there are also nice, intelligent people that cross your path once in a while, best you can do is to focus on them and not let the other guys drain your precious energy.