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Down-low is an African-American slang term[1] specifically used within the African-American community that typically refers to a sexual subculture of black men who usually identify as heterosexual but actively seek sexual encounters and relations with other men, practice gay cruising, and frequently don a specific hip-hop attire during these activities.[2][3] They generally avoid disclosing their same-sex sexual activities, even if they have female sexual partner(s), they are married to a woman, or they are single.[4][5][6][7] The term is also used to refer to a related sexual identity.[7][8] Down-low has been viewed as "a type of impression management that some of the informants use to present themselves in a manner that is consistent with perceived norms about masculine attribute, attitudes, and behavior".[9]
- ^ Green, Jonathon (2006). Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. Sterling Publishing. p. 893. ISBN 978-0-304-36636-1. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
down low n. [1990s+] (US Black) a state of secrecy. down low adj. [1990s+] () covert, secret (i.e. keeping a low profile)
- ^ Bond, Lisa; Wheeler, Darrell P.; Millett, Gregorio A.; LaPollo, Archana B.; Carson, Lee F.; Liau, Adrian (April 2009). Morabia, Alfredo (ed.). "Black Men Who Have Sex With Men and the Association of Down-Low Identity With HIV Risk Behavior". American Journal of Public Health. 99 (Suppl 1). American Public Health Association: S92–S95. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.127217. eISSN 1541-0048. ISSN 0090-0036. PMC 2724949. PMID 19218177. S2CID 40119540.
- ^ Hovey, Jaime (2007). "Sexual subcultures". In Malti-Douglas, Fedwa (ed.). Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Macmillan Social Science Library. Vol. 4. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Macmillan Reference USA. pp. 1372–1374. ISBN 9780028661155. OCLC 922889305.
- ^ King, J.L.; Courtney Carreras (April 25, 2006). "Coming Up from the Down Low: The Journey to Acceptance, Healing and Honest Love". Three Rivers Press. p. 36. Archived from the original on 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
- ^ Johnson, Jason (1 May 2005). "Secret gay encounters of black men could be raising women's infection rate". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
- ^ Mutua, Athena (September 28, 2006). Progressive Black Masculinities. New York and London: Routledge. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-415-97687-9. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
- ^ a b Bennett, Jessica (May 19, 2008). "Outing Hip-Hop". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
- ^ Wolitski, Richard J.; Jones, Kenneth T.; Wasserman, Jill L.; Smith, Jennifer C. (12 May 2006). "Self-Identification as 'Down Low' Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) from 12 US Cities". AIDS and Behavior. 10 (5): 519–529. doi:10.1007/s10461-006-9095-5. PMID 16691462. S2CID 36992684.
- ^ Fields, Errol Lamont (2009). Racial identity, masculinity and homosexuality in the lives of young Black men who have sex with men: Implications for HIV risk (Thesis). p. 203. ProQuest 304913731.