Oprah Winfrey “stunned America” with the “shocking” exposé of Black men on “the down low” in her April 16, 2004 show, ‘‘A Secret World of Sex: Living on the ‘Down Low’’’ (Sandfort & Dodge, 2008). Or so it would seem, in her program highlighting the now well known, and somewhat controversial, book by J. L. King, On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of “Straight” Black Men Who Sleep with Men. (Quotations from this book are presented in my sexuality textbook on page 208.) In what can only be called a quantum leap, Oprah accelerated the popularization of the term, “down low,” in a way that only she could do as such a monumental media personality. The “down low” is the situation of a Black man, in this case, living and identifying as a straight man with a wife and family, while at the same time secretly engaging in sex and having intimate relationships with men.
In fact, King’s book was not the profound revelation that it was promoted to be by the Oprah Winfrey Show. The New York Times Magazine had published an article the previous year documenting an extensive examination of a secretive organized culture comprising primarily Black men who lived ostensibly as straight men. Several novels almost 10 years before this had also described the experience of Black male bisexuality (Sandfort & Dodge, 2008).
In the lead article of a special section of the Archives of Sexual Behavior, Theo Sandfort and Brian Dodge identify a number of conceptual difficulties with the notion of “the down low.” To begin with, a clear, stable definition of the phenomenon has not been advanced. The idea of “the down low” was originated in African-American culture to refer to any type of behavior an individual hides from others. By the 1990s, the term was used in rhythm and blues lyrics to refer to male infidelity. The more recent use of the term is a limited version of the earlier meaning. A change in its meaning also occurred when men began to use “down low” in reference to their identity, an aspect of their life that defines who they are.
Furthermore, the secretive, deceptive meaning associated with “down low” is yet another instance of the historical tendency to demonize not only sexuality in general, but specifically Black male sexuality (Sandfort & Dodge, 2008). Black male sexuality has been conceived in extremely negative terms throughout U.S. history, as animalistic and dangerous, since the days of slavery. Linking it to bisexuality, especially situations involving secretive affairs that put one’s spouse at risk for sexually transmitted disease and death, amplifies its dangerousness tremendously.
Yet, discussions of bisexuality in earlier times and involving other ethnic groups have not been treated with the same sinister reputation. In 1974, Newsweek created a sensation with an article “exposing” the “new bisexual chic.” Bisexuality was cast as the trendy, classy new pop phenomenon indulged in by celebrities and supermodels. Likewise, Latino bisexual men were not initially swept up in the highly negative perspective regarding the “down low;” this is despite research 20 years ago documenting the presence of surreptitious male-male sexual behavior among men who viewed themselves as heterosexual. Even Latino men, however, became linked with the idea of dangerous liaisons after the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic (Sandfort & Dodge, 2008).
Paraphrasing Sandfort and Dodge (2008), the concept of “the down low” became a handy, commonsensical explanation for the surge in HIV infections within African American populations. It is the great villain that made sense as the culprit because of its link to sexuality. Sexuality remains an issue about which much of our culture is still not comfortable, and that conjures feelings of anxiety, sinfulness, and even guilt and remorse. In their own words, “Although Down Low men seem useful scapegoats for the disproportionally high prevalence rates of HIV among Black women, any direct empirical evidence regarding the role of the Down Low phenomenon in the HIV epidemic among African Americans is lacking” (p. 676).
In fact, very little research is available to understand the issues and complexities involved in Black male bisexuality and its connection with risk. The special section of the Archives of Sexual Behavior presents a number of articles devoted exactly to these issues. Look for additional entries in this blog on the results of the studies presented in these articles.
Sandfort, T. G. M., & Dodge, B. (2008). ‘‘...And then there was the Down Low’’: Introduction to Black and Latino male bisexualities. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 37, 675-682.
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The idea of "The Down Low" as a scapegoat for the AIDS epidemic among African Americans seems shallow at best. While handy, it does not adequately cover all of the possible ways in which one could contract HIV. Heterosexual and homosexual sex have an equal chance of spreading HIV if one of the partners has it, regardless of gender. Demonizing one particular set of sexual groups (The Down Low) without fully considering other possible sources is poor judgment.
I believe this is one of the most dangerous sexual behaviors that women face, today. I say women, because without their knowledge they are living and sleeping with a man that they have no idea is putting them at risk. I read J.L. King's book and I also read his ex-wife's book (Brenda Stone Browder) "On the up and up", both of these books gives good insight on what a man and woman face, when placed in this situation, as well as the suffering from both parties. However, when a man lives on the "down low", he hurts so many people, while trying to protect himself. I respect every sexual preference, however when you make the choice to take away someone else's right to choose that is going to far.
For me, while the idea of the "down low" does seem ludacris and disrespectful to the women in these mens lives,it seems so sad that people still have to be on "the down low". If our society could perhaps move forward and accept everyones personal choices and decisions there would be no "down low" to begin with. Gay or bisexual individuals would not be forced to hide their lifestyles in the closet and would therefor not be forced to lie to their partners and everyone else that they love.
I think that our fear, or possibly ignorance, causes us to want to shut out anything related to sexuality, even more so the notion of non-heterosexual behaviors and cognitions. The fact that we depend on Oprah to bring things out into the limelight for us so that we have to face these ideas says a great deal about our society. While I empathize for the individuals who feel the need to keep things on the “down low” I still feel that they are performing a disservice for society as a whole because they encourage the idea that sexuality is something that needs to be kept a secret. Also, if they are not practicing “safe sex” (i.e. condom use) they are endangering their spouses or opposite gender significant other because of the increased probability of contracting and thereby spreading sexually transmitted diseases. This would be just as dangerous if the individual was engaging in sexual acts with opposite gender partners, either way it is irresponsible, regardless of gender. I am outraged by the fact that society still considers HIV/AIDS as “gay man’s disease” and that this notion of “down low” black men is the scapegoat for why there is an increase of HIV/AIDS cases. I think that the topic of sexuality should be an open and safe subject for all individuals and that this idea of “down low” men is just shows how screwed up and overly sensitive our nation is.
Blog #2- “Down Low”
Lori Ann Cammllarie
2/5/09
I recall seeing that show on Oprah and my perception of the “down low’ phenomenon was not targeted only toward black men. I understood that it was about any man who secretly engages sexually with another man outside of his marriage. I believe that the guests on that show were the only ones that would come forward to discuss this issue/concept on National TV; to provide us this information that has been going on for some time. I remember thinking how strange it was for one particular guest to deny his homosexuality to Oprah, by stating that he was not gay and having sexual relations with other men secretly did not indicate a homosexual orientation. I thought it was extremely confusing to swallow this notion that these men are secretly engaging in sex with other men, while married to a woman, and then refuse to accept their homosexuality. It made me wonder how deceived and betrayed these women must have felt after learning that their husbands could have possibly put them at risk for STD’s and HIV , not to mention the lies and deceit of having an affair, whether it was with a man or a woman! I believe that it opened the eyes of many married women in this country. These men did not have characteristics that typically favored gayness, and there were no visual indications that would lead someone to think they were homosexual. I believe that this show was educational in showing how people do not have to possess certain behaviors that indicate they are gay, like one might presume. It was an eye opener for me as well. Cheating on any level in my opinion is wrong, regardless of your sexual orientation.
This blog emphasizes that although society points the finger at black men who live "double" lives as the cause of the high prevalence of HIV in black women, the evidence for such a phenomenon does not exist. I'm a very active Christian (full gospel denomination), and this blog reminds me of many of the things I've heard in various churches. I understand that science and spirituality are two very different domains that each have their own place, but that's just it--they each have their own place. It upsets me when one field tries to explain the other away.
Many times in churches I've heard pastors or preachers present statistics that have no basis in valid research and then base their entire sermon on them. I think this is especially true when it comes to issues of sexuality. Sex is such a taboo topic in the Church. It would be interesting to see how the Black church & Black spirituality have affected this belief that black men who sleep with other black men and women are the cause of the prevalence of HIV in black women.
This article tackles a very interesting and upsetting topic. Men, in particular black men, who are married and have families, are sleeping with other men. They are putting their wives at risk of contracting an STD in addition to the possibility of also leaving them psychologically devastated.
I think almost anyone’s initial reaction to this article would be disgust on the part of the men, but I think we need to look at the bigger picture. For instance, society plays a major role in the way that we act and the way that we are. From the moment we are born we are treated according to our sex. It is difficult to imagine living a life according to societal norms, but feeling as if it’s not the right way.
I think as a society we need to be more accepting of differences and lifestyles. If there was more acceptance people would not feel the need to hide what they are doing and hurt others in the process. I realize that I am being idealistic, but we have to start somewhere and I believe the starting point should be hope not hate.
I was not aware of this use of the term “down low;” I have always thought of it as a more generic term, as it was originally used. The racial and sexual connotations of the term surprise me.
I see that there are some strong contrasts between how the phenomenon of the “down low” among African Americans, and those “bisexual chic” types of the seventies. However, the obvious difference is that in the “down low,” the situation is completely secretive, while in those other situations it was presumably open. So the negative view is probably in part due to the surreptitious nature of the act, the cheating on one’s family, and not just on the racist view of Black male sexuality as being savage and animalistic.
Also, while this phenomenon is not an adequate explanation of the initial surge in HIV infections by any means, it probably did seem as good an explanation as any in the early eighties; the disease AIDS was initially a complete mystery, and the only link was that it seemed to be mostly among homosexual men in the beginning; the “down low” then could support the idea that it was coming from homosexual men, but then eventually spreading to women and heterosexual populations as well. Not any real scientific evidence to back these assumptions up, but then they didn’t have much else to go on as far as I understand.
A friend of mine recently was dating a black male minister who lives in Georgia. When she went to listen in on his churches' service the topic was this idea of "the Down Low". They had spoken heavily on the growth of this sexual choice and the affects it had on the woman who were/are in the marriage. Their biggest concern was how HIV was spreading among their members and people around the community. What I found enlightening was the realization that our media has created this issue to be such a high concern. I am not saying this it isn't or should not be because I definitely feel that these choices should be examined but how come other races with similar choices have been ignored. I personally have a homosexual friend who was recently approached by a married man and I also know other men who have engaged in homosexual activities who are in a straight relationship. All of these people are white. I think instead of focusing on how horrible a situation this is, especially for these woman who are blinded in these relationships, we should focus on accepting homosexuality. Potentially if our society was more open to this sexual choice maybe these men would not feel the need to act straight and hurt their partners emotionally and physically (HIV). Another thing that I found interesting with the article was the history behind the phrase, "the Down Low". These words and their arbitrary meaning just go to show how through time, our understandings of ideas can change.
A friend of mine recently was dating a black male minister who lives in Georgia. When she went to listen in on his churches' service the topic was this idea of "the Down Low". They had spoken heavily on the growth of this sexual choice and the affects it had on the woman who were/are in the marriage. Their biggest concern was how HIV was spreading among their members and people around the community. What I found enlightening was the realization that our media has created this issue to be such a high concern. I am not saying this it isn't or should not be because I definitely feel that these choices should be examined but how come other races with similar choices have been ignored. I personally have a homosexual friend who was recently approached by a married man and I also know other men who have engaged in homosexual activities who are in a straight relationship. All of these people are white. I think instead of focusing on how horrible a situation this is, especially for these woman who are blinded in these relationships, we should focus on accepting homosexuality. Potentially if our society was more open to this sexual choice maybe these men would not feel the need to act straight and hurt their partners emotionally and physically (HIV). Another thing that I found interesting with the article was the history behind the phrase, "the Down Low". These words and their arbitrary meaning just go to show how through time, our understandings of ideas can change.
This article surprised me because I have used the term "down low" many times, but never in that context. I hate that it even has to refer to the infidelity of black men in such a way. I worry that society has once again allowed all of this to happen. I believe that if we were more accepting of homosexuality and bisexuality, then maybe these men wouldn't feel obliged to sneak around. What also bothered me was the fact that the term only refers to black men. I am sure that there are plenty of Caucasian, Latino, and Asian males that perform the same act. Why we as a society need to continue racial labeling is beyond me, especially when it is their own race creating the labels. My final thought for this article is how these men on the down low should take more responsibility. They should realize that their actions not only effect themselves, but can be very harmful to their significant others. They need to respect her enough even if it means being caught and possibly embarrassed. As a women myself, I would rather know and avoid the chance of getting HIV.
This article surprised me because I have used the term "down low" many times, but never in that context. I hate that it even has to refer to the infidelity of black men in such a way. I worry that society has once again allowed all of this to happen. I believe that if we were more accepting of homosexuality and bisexuality, then maybe these men wouldn't feel obliged to sneak around. What also bothered me was the fact that the term only refers to black men. I am sure that there are plenty of Caucasian, Latino, and Asian males that perform the same act. Why we as a society need to continue racial labeling is beyond me, especially when it is their own race creating the labels. My final thought for this article is how these men on the down low should take more responsibility. They should realize that their actions not only effect themselves, but can be very harmful to their significant others. They need to respect her enough even if it means being caught and possibly embarrassed. As a women myself, I would rather know and avoid the chance of getting HIV.
I find it interesting that when a married Black man engages in bisexual activity it is called “the down low.” I would be interested in knowing what other Black men think about that term; whether or not they feel that it is sinister. I have to wonder, though, if it really is an attempt to further demonize Black male sexuality. I have noticed that some of the Black men and women who I work with have their own way of talking to one another, and then speaking to me using different words. It is the same with my teenager. He has a way of talking with his friends and a different way of speaking to my husband and me. Sometimes it seems like they are speaking another language. When I was younger, my friends and I had a way of speaking to one another too. An example, “Billy and I are going together.” My mom would wonder where we were going. So I am wondering if the term “down low” is being used for the black man because, according to the article, the term came from the African-American culture. I mean, the article claimed that the term is used to demonize Black male sexuality. Is that truly the case? Or is it simply being used for them because it is a cultural way of describing what they are doing? And who does the author think is doing the demonizing?
I agree with Rebecca that men having to be on the “down low” in order to be who they are is sad to say the least. Because society has placed a guideline for how people should behave sexually, these men are putting their wives at risk. I think these men should feel a moral responsibility to tell their wives what is going on. Even if they were sleeping with women this would still be an issue, risky behavior is risky behavior regardless of who they are partaking in it with. On the issue of black males making the AIDS epidemic what it is in the black community that is just ignorance on the part of others. There may be research showing that the black community has higher cases of AIDS, but that doesn’t mean it is because of gay men leading double lives. Like the article said, because it can be linked to sexuality people take a wild theory and run with it. Overall, I think the real problem is that these men aren’t being honest with their families and their selves and that is the real problem. The spread of AIDS and probably other sexual diseases is just part of the risk in sleeping with multiple partners. This isn’t an issue of gay or straight, but more of an issue of hiding who you are for selfish reasons. I know that coming out in our society is difficult, I can’t speak personally but I have close friends who have dealt with this, but regardless when you make a decision that effects more than one person that other person or persons had the right to know. Not only could this destroy a family physically, but emotionally as well.
I thought it was very interesting that the idea of "the down low" is meant to apply to heterosexual African American men who have sex with other men, since the term is used in a more general sense in society, which is any behavior one might want to hide. I thought it was also interesting that some believe "the down low" is a reason for the prevalence of HIV in the African American population. This commonsense also made sense to me. Yet, I was greatly surprised that there is lacking empirical evidence linking these men to the high rates of HIV in the African American community. I feel that if bisexuality were more accepted than there would be less men engaging in the "down low." They might have never gotten married in the first place.
Previously, before reading this post, I still felt as if I was in touch with the slightly mainstream, slightly hidden, ‘cool’ culture. But after reading this post and realizing that I did not even now what the phrase down low meant, I now realize I am on the downward slide, on the back side of the ‘cool’ culture hill. To learn that this information was not even considered profound in 2004 when it was discussed on the Oprah show, only furthered my aging process. I had not even the slightest clue that the meaning of the phrase down low had morphed from a secretive type of action that was to be kept quite (as I had understood the phrase), to mean a term that describes married black men that have sexual relationships with other men. I found the concept to be a little hard to digest, as I was unaware of the phenomenon completely. I would be interested in seeing what the prevalence of this behavior is, and how this behavior affects other aspects of life.
I had heard of the down low in referring to gay men’s behavior but I was unaware it was a term specifically for black men. I think history is the powerful influence in deterring bisexual black men from embracing their sexuality. Scars have been left behind from a history of being treated like second class citizens, being separated, bullied and made to feel useless. I read an article once on the high rates of suicide and substance abuse within Native American men; the article basically alluded to the fact that the men felt responsible for their people’s oppression throughout history. The role of the man as being protector and chief was undermined because they had failed to protect their people and as a result felt responsibility and guilt regardless of whether the guilt was justified or not. In a sense I think the same must be true for black men; they internalize a certain pride, a certain inner drive to prove ‘I am just as good as the white man’. The history and negativity associated with gay behavior I think must be just too much emotionally and socially for a gay black man to open himself up to. In many regards the history of white privilege still lives on in society and to couple that second class citizenship with an outsider status in relation to heterosexism pushes an individual twice as far from societal acceptability. Additionally, It amazes me how much these men on the down low identify with their straight identity; I think it is a reflection of our cultures obsession with labelling. Even although these men engage in behavior which by definition would make them bisexual, they refuse to identify with a label that suggests in anyway they are not straight. Stigma is such a powerful thing, so much so that these men would cling to a label and deny an aspect of their self just to find acceptance… I think it is sad that these men are so scared to be open about who they are and I hope they can find the acceptence they deserve.
While I do agree with the many posts that have discussed empathy for the wives/female partners of these men in down low relationships, my big concern involves any children that these men may have. I tried to imagine what it would be like if I thought I had a seemingly perfect marriage, only to find out that my husband had been sleeping with other men on the sly, putting my health at risk for his activities and destroying my marriage. What would I say to my child(ren) when it came time to:
1.) explain why mommy and daddy are no longer together and
2.) explain homosexuality/bisexuality when the time for that talk came?
While the issue of being on the "down low" isn't just specific to the African-American community (except for the jargon used), what is unique is how each family effected handles the situation. I think that there should be some sort of support out there for effected parties (including the one engaging in homo/bisexual activity); however, becasue there's often much shame involved, I doubt that this is something that will be widely seen soon.
I have heard the term “down-low” many times but never realized it had to do with secret homosexual relationships that black men were having on the side of their heterosexual relations. This sure puts a whole new meaning on some songs! I find it interesting, though, that there’s this whole “revealing” of the lifestyle on Oprah even though other places had already published on the topic. Does our society hold that homosexual men are mostly white and so the idea of a black gay man is just that shocking that it ends up on Oprah? Or is the fascination more with the double-sex-life and secrets and the shock that people feel with such deviant behavior? If that’s it then why is there only a term for black men? Black men are certainly are not the only race of men having relationships of this type. I posted earlier this year about a man I know of that went back and forth between straight, gay, bisexual, back to straight. He never told his fiancé and eventual wife about his sexual past. So I suppose she was probably shocked and enraged when it was revealed that he was having a high profile homosexual relationship on the side to their marriage. He would be in the room next to their baby’s nursery chatting online with his big name secret lover and she had no idea. So if this situation had ever made it past a small-network story, would it have been picked up by a show the likes of Oprah? I highly doubt it because he was a white man. Well, actually it may have because of the status of the lover but it was kept under wraps pretty well. I think that this blog entry is an interesting examination of where societal norms and expectations cross between race relations and sexual deviance. I think that there certainly are sexually-related stereotypes associated with race but, related to this post, we expect black men to be players not to be playing with other men, so to say.
I am sure that there is a number of different reasons why a man would participate in "down low" activities. However, I believe, one of the reasons that black men may keep their non-heterosexual behaviors a secret is because of the intense importance of closeness in the black society. For an informative assignment, I did some research on prejudices and negative views toward gays and lesbians. I did four interviews with four different individuals, all ranging in age, gender, sexual-orientation, and ethnicity. I interviewed a black man who identified himself as heterosexual. He explained that black in-group society has a very strong bond. He comments, "A black man stands among thousands, but a gay black man stands alone." After reading this post, I thought, perhaps, that comment explains a lot about the "down low". A black man, because of their strong social bond with others, would refrain from admitting to being gay, in fear of being rejected or, essentially, without societal belonging. Therefore, they lead ‘normal’ heterosexual lives and fulfill their gay desires through secretive relationships.
I have heard my friends use the term "down low", but that was just to keep any topic secretive. Reading that these men portray that they live normal (by society) lives when in fact they are living double lives, fooling their families and friends. I understand that our society does not take lightly to homosexuals; however if one chooses to lead that life then they should be able to tell everyone what life path they are taking instead of sneak around their wives. They should also be honest with their homosexuality because the men are now putting their wives in danger of getting the HIV virus. I do not believe that it is fair or ethical to cheat on one's wife while putting her own life at risk of getting a deadly virus.
"The Down Low" is a term that is used when you want something to be kept quiet and not get out for all people to know. I think the use of it to put black men who live a secret life is wrong because to me, it implied that black men are the only people who do that kind of thing. White men as well as any type of ethnicity, religion, or skin color (or women) are capable of leading a double life. For this reason I don't think that "the down low" lifestyle should apply only to black males.
Also, I do not think that these black males living double lives are not a major cause of the AIDS epidemic and should not be blamed. Whether you are white, black, straight, or gay you have just as likely of a chance as anyone else at contracting a sexually transmitted disease if you engage in risky sexual behavior. You do not have to be a certain skin color or ethnicity to be affected by it if you are not protecting yourself or your partner(s). Saying that this "down low" group is affecting the epidemic to that great of an extent is in my opinion pretty dumb and narrow minded
I thought that it is interesting the impact that the media has on people’s beliefs and views of sexuality. Oprah’s discussion regarding the “down low” wasn’t the first time the term had been used or associated with sexuality, but her discussion on the topic caused the term to be directly associated with the bi-sexuality of some African American males.
As stated in the article, the “down low” is an old African American term for any kind of behavior in which an individual wants to hide. Since the time of slavery, African American’s sexuality has been thought to be “dangerous and animalistic.” I enjoy reading about the Civil War and many of the books I have read have portrayed how the “white” people viewed “black” sexuality. Many people of the time felt threatened by the African American population and were afraid that if they multiplied too much that there would be an uprising. This is why they used to separate families and sell the children of their slaves. So, the negative portrayal of African American sexuality isn’t a new concept.
African American sexuality is yet again at the forefront. Placing blame for the epidemic of AIDS/HIV isn’t new. The media is always trying to blame someone for the continued spread of the disease.
The article stated that “Down Low” men are being used as scapegoats for the disproportionally high prevalence rates of HIV among Black women, but evidence of its direct role is lacking. Before we go placing blame, I think that they need to also take into consideration that there are many other risky behaviors associated with HIV. For example, drug usage and prostitution. These behaviors are associated with people who live in poverty. Many African Americans who live in the United States live in poverty, so there are other factors that may be the reason for the increase in HIV.
In the article it stated that in the 1970’s bisexual women and Latino bisexual males were not portrayed near as negatively as bisexual African Americans. I find this interesting because I have witnessed this problem. Bisexual women are looked at favorably by heterosexual men. They love to see two women engaged in this behavior, but the moment you mention it in another context such as two men, they freak out. I think that this is a double standard.
Also, I believe that if Oprah wants to help prevent the spread of the disease that she needs to address these other issues that I have mentioned. Placing blame for the spread of the disease doesn’t help the situation; it only increases the discrimination against bisexual African American males.
It seems to me that Americans, perhaps people in general, have become obsessed with exposing alternative sexual behaviors. The fervor that the media and the public make seem to be an attempt to rectify their own individual sexuality by bringing to light the dark sexual behaviors of others. It is as though by weeding out what is thought to be dangerous sexual behaviors, the individuals are protecting themselves from some sort of evil. The tendency to generalize in regards to ethnicities and their sexuality, I believe, stems from a deeper need for the public to make sexual issues simplified and to deal with them more easily so that individuals will not have to think about their own sexuality. It may also be an attempt to demonize the black male family man, in an effort to find something to bring him down.
In a world where people are given the freedom to practice their sexuality in the way that they see fit, it comes as no surprise to me that instances of alternative sexual experiences can be found. The fact that this story was presented on the Oprah Winfrey show as some new revelation seems to indicate the motive behind the story was probably to generate some sort of shock response. I think it is funny that while twenty years ago bisexuality was seen as a trend, now it is being used to demonize and to scapegoat. I have heard the term ‘down low’ in regards to giving up information, but I never realized where it came from. It is interesting how words can evolve to take on different meanings, and find a place in the everyday language of a culture without the people even knowing where it came from.
I was not aware of the real meaning of the term "the down low". I had thought it meant something like "the scoop" of a particular subject. I do believe that is extremely cowardly of these men to use this as a scapegoat from their "real" lives. Why get married and have children if you know you are homosexual? And if you do not know before you get married, why wouldn't you get a divorce? Either way, you hurt the ones you "love" but in a way you are just hurting yourself. Altough I personally do not understand how you can just wake up one day and decide to be gay. Its silly how they use "the down low" as a scapegoat for their own insecurities. I also don't think its right for this be the reason why people think that if you are a black, homosexual male, you automatically "probably" have aids/hiv. That's ridiculous. Every sexually active individual has an equal opportunity of contracting aids/hiv.
I found this the article Dangerous Liasons: How Accurate is the Idea of “the Down Low”? to be very fascinating. I had no idea the term “the down low” was used to refer to straight black men who also engage in sexual relationships with other men. I have heard the term used to refer to information a person wished to keep secret. I thought it was interesting that black men were the only focus; I would think there are a good amount of white males that engage in the same behavior.
I also found it interesting that Newsweek promoted bisexually as a new trend in 1974. I think if this article had included the importance of safe bisexual sexual encounters or given examples, the HIV/AIDS epidemic may not have been as bad as it was. The article also mentions that around this time several Latino men were also associated with “the down low”. I am curious to know how many married white men are involved in “the down low.” I would think it would be hard to collect research on this topic, as I would think a lot of men would want this behavior to remain a secret as it could pose a threat to their marriage.
I was very surprised when I read about the term "down low" as someone, particularly African American males who say they are heterosexuals proceeding in having sexual relations with another male. My friends and I use that phrase constantly or say "keep it on the DL" to again keep something that is private to us from being talked about openly. I never thought that this phrase would have ever have been developed from this particular scenario. The one thing I find interesting is that it focused specifically on African American males. I'm sure that this is not the only category of individuals that claim they're heterosexuals, and yet participate in homosexual or bisexual behaviors. This is why simply stating your sexual orientation is not enough. Understanding your sexual orientation and thus developing your sexual orientation identity is really important. Do these men participate in homosexual activities because of extrinsic incentives, or because they truly have a sexual desire toward the same sex and don't want to admit this out of shame or fear of acceptance? Is it acceptable to use the term down low in other circumstances, or is "The Down Low" a phrase that should only be used in this situation? I know I'm going to be more careful about the way I use this phrase from now on.
As Gloria Steinem stated, “…every form of authoritarianism must start with a belief in some group’s greater right to power, whether that right is justified by sex, race, class, religion or all four.” How does authoritarianism relate to the secretive and deceptive meaning of “the Down Low” for all of these years? I say “A LOT!”
Recent scientific evidence leads us to the conclusion that a phenomenon such as this is actually an instance of historical tendency in the United States. As stated in the textbook, “Typically, the group with the greatest social, political and economic power has the largest degree of influence on such definitions,” (pg. 349)
With this evidence, can a prediction be made that definitions related to sexual behaviors involving different ethnicities directly influence other cultures’ understanding of sexuality within those ethnicities? I needed to know.
Prior to writing this blog, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest degree of knowledge), I possessed 0 knowledge/understanding of the term “the Down Low.” My unconditioned cognitive response: Down = direction and Low = rating. If I apply my assumption to Black male bisexuality and involved risks I can predict that Black male bisexuality in relation to the labeling “the Down Low” means (in sexual contexts) the sexual behavior of Black male bisexuals occurs below the waist and the sexual behavior relates to the genitals. The rating of this sexual behavior is “low” either in intensity of pleasure or frequency.
I searched the internet using the FireFox search engine, typed in “down low + define”, and the data retrieved from the top 5 listings is: 1.“To keep quite on something. To not tell people about something. To not divulge information to people that should not know about something. Keeping certain information limited to a certain group or between two people.” (www.urbandictionary.com)“Clandestine Black gay culture: among some young African American men who regard themselves as gay, a clandestine culture that involves secret gay relationships, but rejects the suggestion that the participants are themselves gay, effeminate, or bisexual ( slang ) [Late 20th century. Originally popularized by the hip-hop singers TLC and R. Kelly, with the meaning "secret"]”(http://encarta.msn.com)“The most generic definition of the term down low, or DL, is “to keep something private,” whether that refers to information or activity. The term is often used to describe the behavior of men who have sex with other men as well as women and who do not identify as gay or bisexual. These men may refer to themselves as being “on the down low,” “on the DL,” or “on the low low.” The term has most often been associated with African American men. Although the term originated in the African American community, the behaviors associated with the term are not new and not specific to black men who have sex with men.” (www.cdc.gov)
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My conclusion: The process of assimilation of definitions continues to occur in the mainstream environment (presented in the results from Urbandictionary and Encarta.msn) and the US government continues its historical tendency in a negative (disease) influential manner. In short, a lack of scientific research in Black male bisexuality exists and one involved risk is the continued phenomenon of ethnic gloss still prevalent in today’s society; specifically, centralized assumptions by mass media.
Two things come to mind while reading this article: the first, I'm glad it emphasized the dangerousness of the behavior in relation to the unknowing wife and the second; I don't necessarily feel that this is a substantial cause for HIV infection in black females.
I may have missed this, but the article didn’t hit specifically on how much of the black male population actually engages in male-male sex when married to a female. I am weary of being mislead into thinking that it happens a great deal 80% or maybe only 10%.
In the textbook in chapter 11, it is mentioned that black females tend to have sex at an earlier age due to environmental influences like poverty. Perhaps the reason for an increase in female HIV is linked more closely to the idea that women are having sex at an earlier age and may not be thinking about the consequences associated with random hookups.
It is definitely possible for a female to engage in intercourse with a male, contract HIV, the engage in intercourse with another male, who then in turn contracts HIV, and so on. Maybe the female gave a bisexual black male HIV and then he passes it on to a black male with whom he engages in sex with.
So what I am trying to say is that the information presented may have some flaws; although, it is very interesting to read about.
I always thought cybersex was harmless as long as it stayed online, at least with people you don't know. Most of the people I know who do engage in cyber sex are younger individuals who are too young to actually be engaging in sexual intercourse. So instead they act out their fantasies in a type of story to let out their sexual needs. Also I find it as something couples who are doing long distance relationships seem to engage in more frequently. Cyber sex does give a woman more confidence, because she plays out a scenario and can get the man's reaction to it before actually doing it. I've noticed people who like to participate in cyber sex are also individuals who like to "pillow talk" during sex and are more vocal during intercourse. Cyber sex is all about relaeasing your curiosity and seeing what kind of responses you'll get before actually doing the behavior.
I think that the paragraph paraphrasing Sandfort and Dodge (2008) identifies the sentiments with which I most closely agree. Referring to bisexual behavior among married African American males as the reason why African American females have been recognized as having a high prevalence of HIV infections is nothing short of absurd. This argument seems to be a dangerous swirl between what the blog post identifies as the long-standing Caucasian-American tradition of demonizing African American sexuality and the myths of HIV only being transmitted via homosexuals. I recall one of my school teachers in the mid 90’s still referring to HIV and as being a disease that plagues only the homosexual population, not because of any prejudice against homosexuals, but simply because it is what they had read.
HIV is primarily spread through sexual contact between a carrier and another person. I think that the details or, more importantly, the lack thereof, is what most people conveniently omit from consciousness. This includes heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgenders, individuals of all races, SES’s, et cetera. The time to blame homosexuals has long come and gone much in the same way in which we no longer blame witches for our lackluster crops. To me, this article expresses the ways in which prejudices and biases are internalized and used as “rational” explanations. These explanations are accepted as being greatly rational far more to those who hold harmonic preconceptions to begin with. That is not to say that there are no married men are engaging in homosexual behavior, contracting STDs as a result, then furthering transmission. However, without some solid statistics to back this up, I have a very difficult time believing that this very specific type of behavior is largely to blame.
Furthermore, and more as a side note, I find it interesting that a handful of individuals in the comments section refer to certain moral implications of male “cheating” behavior placing women at risk for the contraction of STDs. While I in no way disagree with this, it must be noted that this goes in all directions. People from all demographics have the potential of committing marital infidelities, and the consequences are just as real.
The term “down low” is very identifiable in the gay community. I am a gay man and I do not agree with the idea of sleeping with men while in a heterosexual relationship. However, I can see why some people choose this path in life. There are many prejudices that still exist in our society about homosexual men and women. The fear of being ridiculed, rejected by your family and friends, or even possibly harmed are some reasons why people will deny their inner most thoughts and feelings. Many people live their whole lives denying who they really are just to be “normal” so to speak.
The statement that male bisexuality in the black community is the reason for a high prevalence of HIV amongst black women is lacking evidence. There are too many factors involved in contracting the disease that could pinpoint being on the “down low” as the culprit. I am not saying that a “down low” lifestyle cannot put someone at higher risk for contracting HIV, but it is definitely an easy scapegoat. People sometimes forget that HIV can be spread in a heterosexual relationship because in our society a homosexual relationship is still in large controversial and to some immoral and disgusting.
Black men living a “down low” lifestyle has gained widespread attention. What I do not understand is why this lifestyle is commonly linked with the Black community? The idea of men sleeping with other men and identifying as straight exists amongst all races. The only explanation I can come up with is what was stated by Sandfort and Dodge (2008) that it is another instance of the historical tendency to demonize Black male sexuality. I feel that this is very true. For instance, a history course I took we talked about one of the great Black boxers, Jack Johnson. Although not particularly concerning his sexuality, he was most always described as animalistic and primitive. It reinforces the fact that stereotypes about the Black community existed then and still exist to this day. In the future, I question how prevalent the “down low” lifestyle will be as the gay rights movement continues to progress and homosexuality is accepted more and more.
I found it very surprising here, and when I read it in the book, that the term "down low" means this. it is a term that is used quite often in our culture, and it goes to show how hidden this usage was until Oprah put it on her show. It is almost as if, black males are not only used as the scape goat, but are also tossed to the side to make their actions seem even more shameful.
It is unfortunate that this has happened, but hopefully now that it has been brought to light changes can be made to benefit these people who are made to feel shamed.
I find it interesting that there is so much focus only African American male bisexuality and not on any other ethnic group. It seems that the author of the book that was being discussed as well as those that publicized it seem to be blaming black male bisexuality on the spread of HIV and other STDs. This seems to be racist and stereotyping. Even though these individuals may be the cause of some disease spread so is almost every other race or ethnic group. Also the “exposing” of this phenomenon just seems to be an invasion of these individuals privacy. Drawing attention to these individuals in a negative light such has been done will only further stereotypes and racism.
Also the term down low can have several connotations. It may not simply relate to “straight” men having sex with other men, but any type of extramarital sex. It can also mean any sort of behavior that people keep hidden from others, not related to sexuality. This just seems to be Americans once again obsession with sex. This obsession however is especially unhealthy because it is blaming sex for many problems and making sex appear to be a bad thing. As stated in the blog entry, there is very little empirical research to support the author of this books claims and it appears to be based on racial stereotypes and possibly personal experiences.
I feel that these men are putting their wives and girlfriends at risk by leading this lifestyle. Not necessarily because they are leading a gay or bisexual lifestyle, but more for the fact that they are cheating on their spouses and possibly introducing new viruses and germs from outside sources. The fact that it is man on man may play a factor in that way that gay men tend to me much more promiscuous than gay women. I will agree that it is upsetting to have to see these men have to play a role that they obviously dont fully identify with. I believe that in order for this type of threat to be reduced, society needs to continue its decline of homophobia focused primarily on the african-american community.
The idea of being involved in a “down low” seems to be a bit bizarre but is a commonly occurring theme. This article focuses in on black men who are married and have families but at the same time lead lives with other men, virtually two lives but one person. The article mentions there is not a “given” definition of the phrase ‘down low’ but hints that the idea is to hold a life that is hidden from all others. The men who chose to be involved in this ‘second’ life are putting not only themselves but their wives in danger of becoming infected with HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. What these men have in their lives could easily be torn away from them if their ‘down low’ is discovered.
There is a section of the article that states “… “down low” is yet another instance of the historical tendency to demonize not only sexuality in general, but specifically Black male sexuality.” I understand this article is focusing in on black males, however, who is to say that white males are not participating in the same activities. We cannot point fingers at black males for putting the phrase “down low” into negative effect, we must realize that anyone is fair game at holding this double life.
I do not agree with the motive behind “the down low,” but for some it may be a way to connect to who they think they really are. Now please understand, I am not about to make an excuse for someone going behind the back of loved ones, but in a very deep psychological understanding I believe that people have a right to figure themselves out. By saying this I simply mean that if there is any indication in a person’s life that may lead him or her to thinking they are living a lie and are meant to be with someone of the same sex, then let him or her figure it out, however, I do not feel that it should be done so in a way of acting out through a double life.
I am not a fan of Oprah and cannot attest to really watching any of her broadcasts, but the review of this story, presented in the blog, caught my eye. The issue of “down low” males, engaging in same sex sexual relationships while married was one that I have heard before.
The issue presents on bisexual men and questions the risk factors of various diseases transmissions within the African American population, talking about how the sexual nature of these minority populations have increased the instances of sexually transmitted diseases. As the article quotes ““the down low” became a handy, commonsensical explanation for the surge in HIV infections within African American populations”. People blamed the issue of increased cases of HIV infections on the males who were leading “double lives,” sleeping with both their wives and other males at the same time.
I thought the article brought a good perspective to the issue, although it focused mainly on African American “down low” males. There are “down low” males in every culture, as was pointed out by a few of my classmate’s previous posts. I think the most important thing to look at is that there are high risk individuals all over, not just African American or Latino men who engage in bisexual relationships. My father is one of them; he was married, yet still engaged in “down low” behaviors, having sexual intercourse with males while married to my mother. The relationship ended and my father moved onto mainly same-sex relationships.
A few of the other commenters on the blog commented that they do not understand why someone cannot just choose s preference, “either your straight or you are not.” This opinion is one that I believe leads to the negative views on sexuality and creates the whole premise for this article. Yes, there is a risk of transmitting the HIV virus and there is high risk in sleeping with multiple partners, especially with different sexes, but such negative comments cause the stigma and the negative opinions of Black male sexuality that this article presents. If one were to be more open to sexuality and not create such a stigma and negative self-fulfilling prophesy for African American males, or any male who is struggling with their sexuality, there may not be such an issue with “down low” behaviors; people would be more open about their choices.
This is an older story, by the standards of Oprah’s shows, airing in 2004. It is now 2011 and I wonder what the show would do if it had a recap of the story and investigated farther into the “down low” issues in African American men, engaging in same-sex relationships while married. The results may be interesting and I would predict that the “down low” behaviors would decrease, since views on sexuality have lessened within the past years and the general public is more open about same sex relationships.
I must first admit that I had never heard the term “down low” in reference to any type of sexuality. I have, however, heard the term being used to describe something that is secretive or unknown, so I can see how it has possibly evolved historically from a negative term in general to a negative term referring to black male infidelity. My second impression was that I find it strange that this issue deals with black men in particular as opposed to any heterosexual man participating in bisexual activities. I think this shows how focused on race our society is. The blog describes this “down low” lifestyle as “ yet another instance of the historical tendency to demonize not only sexuality in general, but specifically Black male sexuality,” but this does not seem to correlate with Chapter 11’s description of historical belief about black males and sexuality. The textbook described common thought of the past to be that African males possessed extremely large penises and were very sexualized individuals. It seemed that they were presented in an idolized manner, not necessarily the “animalistic” manner described in the blog. I do find it interesting that black males are being singled out racially for discrimination when other races and ethnicities participate in the same type of behavior. I wonder if it’s perhaps because of the stereotype that they have large penises and are animalistic in sexuality that the thought of non-heterosexuality or bisexuality appears even more taboo than in the case of other races. I also agree that as long as the Western world holds such negative views of sexuality in general, these discriminatory slang terms will persist.
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