I felt a certain parallel last week when Brooke Magnanti outed herself as the woman behind the blog “Belle de Jour.” In “real” life Brooke is a cancer research scientist, she probably wears a lab coat and some sort of business casual pant suit everyday, and you would never guess that she once blogged about the sexual encounters she was paid for.
Up until recently I worked for an institute of higher education, wore business casual to work, and conversed with high school students about their choice in colleges. Looking at me you wouldn’t guess that I had a double life, a life that few people know about, but is a large part of my life.
I spend a lot of time writing, researching, and planning how I want people to see me on here, and how thinking I will keep the lives apart for those who would be offended or just wouldn’t understand. I’ve met a lot of people through this life who I think are in the same boat, no real names, no pictures of their faces. I think it’s a shame this is how it “has” to be.
As much as I wish I could “out” myself online completely, I have a certain appreciation for how I can be who I want and not think about how it will effect things in my life, or think about what others will think. At the end of the day I like my second life, and my first life, and I applaud those to “out” themselves, as well as those who have found a way to live the life and lives they’ve always wanted.