“Down Low”, The

The down low, or DL, is a term used to refer primarily to black men who are secretly having sex with other men while maintaining heterosexual relationships or marriages. Included within this concept is a racialized depiction of men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as an understanding of masculinity because these men are assumed to not be effeminate and may perhaps be portraying hyper-masculine depictions such as the “homothug.” Another significant aspect of the DL is that these men do not construct themselves as gay or bisexual, but as heterosexual men. In recent times, there has been increasing research about black MSM who are on the DL, particularly regarding high-risk sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The research regarding STD transmission has been of particular concern because DL men are not likely to inform their female sex partners that they are sexually active with men and may not be employing safer sex practices.

Although the DL is being constructed as a new phenomenon within the media, MSM behavior has always existed. The term down low has been part of black vernacular since at least the early 1990s, with the initial meaning of secrecy or discretion. Initially, the DL was tied to sexuality by men who were having sex with women other than their girlfriends or wives, but over time, it has evolved to refer primarily to sex with men. The current connection of the DL to MSM emerged in the early 2000s with the publication of books addressing the “new” phenomenon. Socially, the DL has often been framed as the immoral behavior of black men and the implications this behavior has for “innocent” black women.

Although men on the DL are not likely to identify as homosexual or bisexual, this does not dismiss the possibility of long-term relationships or connections between men. Many men who are on the DL may seek to establish long-term quasi-monogamous relationships with a male partner with the expectation of it being safer. However, many men on the DL may also seek sex with men in situations that may ensure anonymity, such as pornographic theaters, cruising parks, public restrooms, and most recently, via the Internet.

In one survey, when contrasting DL-identified MSM with gay or bisexual identified men, DL men are approximately 8 to 10 times more likely to report having a female sexual partner in the past 6 months. Among all men surveyed, the median number of male sexual partners in the prior 6 months was seven. Significant numbers of men surveyed had had sex with men whose HIV status was unknown, with more than one-third of the men reporting unprotected receptive anal intercourse. Among the DL men, one in four reported unprotected vaginal sex during the last 6 months. Thus, among DL men, there is a significant level of unprotected sexual behavior occurring with both male and female sexual partners. One author suggests this may occur because the use of condoms, particularly while having sex with men, would demonstrate forethought and intent to have sex with men and reduce the ability for these men to argue that “it just happened” or “it was the alcohol,” thus forcing these men to recognize their same-sex desire. DL men demonstrate significantly higher levels of internalized homophobia than do gay or bisexual identified men.

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