'Look at me, I'm NOT on steroids'
Competing - there are natural federations, some natural for life.
Some of the competitors are pretty amazing.
It does depend what country you live in. It does seem like if you live in the US and don't compete in the NPC, then it doesn't have as much credibility.
I do think it is a good idea to figure out what diet works for you and to train nattie for a few years before you go on the gear.
It also gives you a lot of time to do research.
There are guys/girls that do gear and don't get anywhere, and there are guys/girls that don't do gear and look like they do.
A lot of it is down to genetics, how big you will get naturally.
It is also true that a lot of girls don't like really big guys, so being TOO muscular can put some off.