Ep 10. I'm Passing as Someone I'm Not
- TV14
- April 27, 2011
- 39 min
In True Life season 13 episode 10, titled "I'm Passing as Someone I'm Not," the show explores the lives of individuals who are living double lives or pretending to be someone they're not. This installment of the series focuses on several people who have assumed a different identity for a variety of reasons.
The first person we meet is a man who is passing as a woman in order to work in the adult entertainment industry. He identifies as a gay man but found that he could make more money by pretending to be a woman. He takes us through his daily routine, which includes shaving his body, putting on makeup, and wearing a wig. He shares the challenges of keeping up the facade and the fear of being exposed. He also reveals the emotional toll it takes on him to constantly hide his true identity.
The second person we meet is a woman who is passing as a man in order to support her family financially. She works as a construction worker and found that she was only being offered jobs as a woman that didn't pay enough. By pretending to be a man, she is able to earn more money to support her children. She takes us through the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry as a woman and the fear of being discovered by her coworkers. She also shares the emotional toll it takes on her to constantly hide her true identity from the people around her.
The third person we meet is a college student who is passing as a different ethnicity in order to fit in with his peers. He was adopted as a child and raised in a predominantly white community. As he got older, he struggled with his identity and felt like he didn't belong. He started pretending to be Hispanic in college, which allowed him to connect with other students who shared similar backgrounds. He shares the challenges of navigating not just the deception but also the cultural nuances of a different ethnicity. He also reveals the emotional toll it takes on him to constantly hide his true identity from his friends.
The fourth and final person we meet is a woman who is passing as a different age. She is in her early forties but pretends to be in her late twenties in order to attract younger men. She takes us through her daily routine of makeup, hair extensions, and dressing like a younger woman. She shares the challenges of keeping up the facade and the fear of being discovered. She also reveals the emotional toll it takes on her to constantly hide her true identity from the people she dates.
Throughout the episode, we see the stress and anxiety that come with living a double life. The individuals featured are constantly on edge, worried that they will be discovered. They share the emotional toll it takes on them to constantly hide their true identities and the fear of losing the people they have deceived if they are exposed. The episode presents a thought-provoking exploration of what drives people to assume a different identity and the consequences of doing so.