Welcome, Mjessgarcia!
Guys pushing girls to get bigger bikes (or pushing other guys to do it for that matter) is always 100% peer pressure. You made the right choice getting a beginner bike you feel comfortable on and can grow with and enjoy to your hearts content!
I know there's a female rider section on the forums, and being from LA will likely find you a riding crowd fairly quickly as well. Make sure, though, that you feel 100% confident in yourself before doing a big group ride. It's a lot of extra headache managing more than just yourself!
Guys pushing girls to get bigger bikes (or pushing other guys to do it for that matter) is always 100% peer pressure. You made the right choice getting a beginner bike you feel comfortable on and can grow with and enjoy to your hearts content!
I know there's a female rider section on the forums, and being from LA will likely find you a riding crowd fairly quickly as well. Make sure, though, that you feel 100% confident in yourself before doing a big group ride. It's a lot of extra headache managing more than just yourself!