Media interest Down-low (sexual slang)

dvd cover of dl chronicles gay drama series.

the first known person use down-low in homosexual context george hanna, used term in 1930 song boy in boat lesbian women. term popularized in late 1990s , after series of mainstream media reports emphasizing danger of such men transmitting hiv unsuspecting female partners.

the first mainstream media account of down-low closeted homosexuality reported in los angeles times on february 7, 2001. end of year, numerous major media outlets had reported on down-low. included new york times (11 february), usa today (march 15), columbus dispatch (march 19), st. louis post-dispatch (april 1), new york times (april 3), chicago sun-times (april 22), atlanta journal-constitution (june 3), san francisco chronicle (june 4), village voice (june 6), vibe magazine (july), jet magazine (september 8), essence magazine (october), san diego union-tribune (december 2), , los angeles times (december 7). these stories connected down-low hiv/aids epidemic in african-american community.

in summer of 2003 village voice contributing writer , nyu professor jason king published remixing closet: down low way of knowledge , in newspaper s june 2003 queer issue, controversial op-ed piece questioned relationship between hiv/aids , men on down low . article first mainstream piece openly criticize negative mainstream media depictions of down-low men , put different spin on dl phenomenon.

king argued use of term down low way many african american men admit having sex other men without identifying gay in traditional sense. on heels of article, san francisco chronicle contributing writer frank leon roberts published stereotypes , sexual orientation: down-low – coming out own way in black clubs in newspaper s july 23, 2003 issue.

then in august 2003 new york times magazine ran cover story called double lives on down low , written benoit denizet-lewis. several episodes of oprah winfrey show dedicated subject including episode aired 16 april 2004 , titled secret sex world: living on down low ; show featured j. l. king discussing book on down low: journey lives of straight black men sleep men. down-low part of story lines on episodes of television shows law , order: special victims unit, starter wife, er, , oz.

in 2003 jeffrey q. mccune, jr. wrote full-length play entitled dancin down low directed , produced @ northwestern university in april 2004. in addition, mccune has dedicated dissertation on topic. study examines dl discourses closely, while exploring how dl men handle masculinity , sexuality.

in 2008 writer terrance dean published memoir: hiding in hip-hop: on down low in entertainment industry—from music hollywood discusses own experience being down-low in industry others in industry down-low. distinguishes difference between being down-low , being down-low-gay. down-low on receiving end of homosexual sexual pleasure , reason not view them selves gay. while down-low-gay closet gay man.

using content analysis of more 170 articles written between 2001 , 2006, sociologist richard n. pitt, jr. concluded media pathologized black bisexual men s behavior while either ignoring or sympathizing white bisexual men s similar actions. argued down low black bisexual described negatively duplicitous heterosexual man behaviors threaten black community. alternatively, brokeback white bisexual (when seen bisexual @ all) described in pitying language victimized homosexual man forced closet heterosexist society around him.