Need help regarding gender choices in MMOs, maybe help in how I handled a child online too. [View all]

Although at age 60 and a gamer since HALO 1 came out I am new to the world of MMOs. When Destiny came out I could either not play it or join in with countless other gamers in this MMO. So I took the plunge and signed up. I am male but years ago I started using female characters where I could in my RPGs, (I mainly like RPG's and FPS's). In Destiny I chose to run 3 female characters. Sadly today, my choice to run females may have just traumatized a 13 year old young man.

The story is as follows:
When I signed up for Destiny I went ahead and filled out my personal bio, stating clearly that I am a 60 year old Viet Nam Era "MALE" vet. Soon after signing up I discovered that I was having a glitch in the game, (still am btw), and added to my bio that I would appreciate any help in fixing that glitch. Destiny has been out a few months now and this glitch prevents me from maxing out my three characters. When other players try to get me to participate in non-solo activities I inform them that I can't, that I have this damned glitch. Should they ask further I explain it further and request any help. So far nobody has offered any help.

Yesterday a fellow player tried to befriend me, I was burning dinner so I told the player that I couldn't chat, that I had to go, and then I logged off. This morning I left this player a message stating the usual that I would make for a lousy friend because I couldn't participate in team things, besides which I didn't even have a microphone, (mic's seem to be a standard request for those team get-togethers). The gamer persisted saying a mic was not necessary. I tried to explain to him/her that I truly wasn't interested in anything other than soloing, that I was happiest doing just that, A couple hours later this player starts asking me tons of questions, (it was kinda annoying because it's hard to keep ducking into hidey-spots to chat while being shot at). Eventually this player said he thought it strange that I was such an experienced gamer and yet such a shy 'girl'. Well that made me go huh?!? in a big hurry so I texted back setting the record straight, that it was in my bio: 60 year old MALE!, that furthermore, after years of gaming I had switched to female characters because I got tired of seeing the backside of my macho-male characters. I get back WTF! When I ask "Huh?" He returns "That's weird, I am 13 bro!"

Well now I am shocked. FWIW up to that point I was sorta thinking I had someone from BUNGIE, (Destiny's creator) asking me stuff about my gaming, my glitches and stuff like that but being coy about it. I even asked outright during our conversation if the person I was talking to was an employee of Bungee and got back "No, just reporting your bugs to Bungee" After hearing that I was talking to a 13 year old, I got REAL CAREFUL with my next response because #1 I did not want to traumatize him further and #2 I didn't want him or his parents thinking I was some kind of internet creep out fishing for kids! I apologized for any misunderstanding, I suggested that should anyone in the game offend him that he needs to hit the ignore button and I ended with my goals all along being that I wanted help with my glitch, that I sincerely meant nothing else. I apologized again for the offense and hit the send button.

It's been about an hour now and I've not heard back, (a good thing I hope), so I have to ask fellow gamers here: Is it non-customary or even strange to use a gender opposite yours when playing in an MMO? If so, it may explain some other issues I have been having, specifically periodically Destiny male character-players shooting at me and bashing me with swords and etc. for no reason that I can discern. (It has no affect, we can not harm each other at all, our bullets and such only hurt the bad-guys).