Abstract
Discourse regarding Black men “on the down low,” also known as “the DL,” is deconstructed to reveal public anxieties around sexuality, gender, race, and HIV/AIDS. After presenting a definition of the down low, ten basic facts are advanced: a) The down low is not new; b) the down low isn’t just Black; c) the down low isn’t just men; d) the down low discourse contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS; e) the down low discourse feeds a neo-racist agenda; f) the down low discourse obscures the link between HIV/AIDS and poverty; g) the down low discourse contributes to homophobia in the Black community; h) the down low phenomenon suggests that there is more to sexual orientation than is currently acknowledged; i) the down low phenomenon demonstrates the need to decouple sexuality and gender; j) the down low discourse provides a new opportunity to consider questions of sexual freedom and choice.
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Phillips, L. Deconstructing “down low” discourse: The politics of sexuality, gender, race, AIDS, and anxiety. Journal of African American Studies 9, 3–15 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-005-1018-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-005-1018-4