Passing and performing are both rather serious identity games. They encompass major portions of the individual's life round and the stakes involved are frequently rather high. The consequences of losing these games, (that is, being "unmasked") include such unpleasant experiences as imprisonment, job loss, physical and mental abuse, status reduction, and so forth. Fortunately for those urbanites with a bent for adventure but a distaste for catastrophe, there is another option. Pretending is a game that may be played only sporadically and then only for short periods of time. The most serious consequence of failure is mild embarrassment, and that is unlikely to be of long duration.

DEFINE: Distinguishes 'pretending' from 'passing' and 'performing' as identity games with lower stakes and intermittent commitment.

XREF: As opposed to the high stakes of passing and performing, which can involve imprisonment or job loss — a notable contrast with usual framing of identity games as serious.

Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order a…, loc. 962