Authenticity - what does it mean to be authentic?
The word 'Authentic' for me shows up as "essentially being comfortable in your own skin": So there is an alignment between what you value, believe, think, say & do and this congruency is felt in oneself and most often transmits to others as a felt-sense & perception of authenticity.
Some research suggests that it is prosocial narrative & likability that effects how people perceive the authenticity of a person. I would say it is more to do with who people believe to be genuine in what they say (i.e.. how they express themselves in more original/individual language that reflects their authenticity rather than stock strap-lines) and it is this that also engenders trust & respect. We can respect someone for expressing their beliefs and not necessarily agree with them.
So another layer to add to this is of course is political wisdom. It has been suggested that: 'so-called "social chameleons" are better able to position themselves for success within their social environment than highly authentic people'. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive as 'context' is key. Authenticity isn't for me about 'what you see is what you get'...tah dah!! It is much more nuanced than that.
Part of our 'socially constructed ideal self' needs to tolerate responding in different ways to different contexts. Our authentic self will still be guided by our intent and our core moral compass.