identitybesides

Identitybesides is a term used in discussions of identity theory to denote the collection of secondary or supplementary identities that individuals hold or enact beyond their primary or most publicly recognized identity. It emphasizes multiplicity rather than a single fixed label.

The concept has emerged in sociological and digital identity work to address how people manage multiple social roles across contexts such as work, family, hobbies, culture, and sexuality. It treats identities as fluid and context-dependent, with some identities more central in certain settings.

In practice, recognizing identitybesides supports inclusive design and research on online self-presentation, privacy, and bias. For example, user profiles that permit multiple tags beyond occupation or gender can reflect the wider range of a person’s identities, enabling richer tailoring while avoiding stereotype.

Critics warn that the term may blur boundaries between identities, risk oversimplification, or complicate measurement and accountability. Cultural variation and privacy concerns also limit how freely people can disclose secondary identities.

Related concepts include intersectionality, identity work, self-presentation, and multi-identity theory.