So you want to write identity porn

So you may know about the classical romance triangle between Superman, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Or how Spiderman balances between the meek Peter Parker and the superhero Spiderman. Or when in Les Miserables Jean Valjean puts on a fake identity. There's a name for this kind of stories: 'Identity Porn' , which is a narrative kink for stories which focus on people with fluid, or multiple, or secret, identities, and how those identities work.

Identity porn fascinates us, as our identity is what distinguish us from other people. But identity porn kind of play with the assumption that we have a single, real and consistent identity.  In our daily life, we put on a social face "to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual", and a secret identity is a logical extension of that. Who's the one behind the mask? Is there really a person behind the mask? A lot of examples can be found in superhero and magic girls canons, as many of the characters have a secret identity, and this affects the people in their respective position in the society and their community. It introduces a lot of tension in how the characters form relationships with others and see themselves. Of course sometimes we love it just because it's hot. .

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