Black Men Who Have Sex With Men and the Association of Down-Low Identity With HIV Risk Behavior

Abstract

Black men "on the down low" have been considered prime agents of HIV transmission in the Black community despite little empirical evidence. We assessed the relationship between down-low identification and sexual risk outcomes among 1151 Black MSM. Down-low Identification was not associated with unprotected anal or vaginal sex with male or female partners. Future HIV prevention programs and research should target sexual risk behaviors of Black men, irrespective of identity, and not focus on the "down low."

An Event-Level Comparison of Risk-Related Sexual Practices Between Black and Other-Race Men Who Have Sex with Men: Condoms, Semen, Lubricant, and Rectal Douching

“…This perceived behavior and associated stigma have been exacerbated by media descriptions of the ''down low,'' a term used to characterize men who have sex with men in secrecy 5 and a term often linked to high-risk behavior, 6 despite a lack of empirical evidence for this association. 7,8 Although selfidentification with the down low lifestyle has been documented among other racial groups, 9 the label is commonly affiliated with Black men in particular and perpetuates stereotypes of Black men's sexuality as excessive, deviant, predatory, reckless, and proximal to disease. 10,11 Black MSM, particularly those who also have sex with women, have been regarded as promiscuous and vectors of HIV transmission even by other Black men.…”

Becoming Down Low: A Review of the Literature on Black Men Who Have Sex With Men and Women

“…The literature clearly intertwined elements of homosexuality, spirituality, and HIV/AIDS (Barnshaw & Letukas, 2012;Bond et al, 2009;Caputo, 2009;Carlos et al, 2010;Jenkins et al, 2009;Lapinski et al, 2010;Malebranche et al, 2009). This overlap speaks to the interconnectivity of these issues throughout the literature and provides opportunities for further analysis.…”

“…Seven of the articles reviewed closely associated the down-low identity with HIV/AIDS stigmas (Barnshaw & Letukas, 2012;Bond et al, 2009;Caputo, 2009;Carlos et al, 2010;Jenkins et al, 2009;Lapinski et al, 2010;Malebranche et al, 2009). The symbiotic relationship of the down-low identity with HIV was sometimes directly articulated and sometimes indirectly acknowledged, yet most authors took the opportunity to cite the down low as a motivation for higher-risk sexual behaviors.…”

“…The symbiotic relationship of the down-low identity with HIV was sometimes directly articulated and sometimes indirectly acknowledged, yet most authors took the opportunity to cite the down low as a motivation for higher-risk sexual behaviors. Although sometimes barely explored, the down-low identity was understood to be the shadow expression of low self-esteem, as well as of secretive, concealing, and/or deceptive behaviors-whether acknowledged in the articles directly or indirectly (Barnshaw & Letukas, 2012;Bond et al, 2009;Caputo, 2009;Carlos et al, 2010;Jenkins et al, 2009;Lapinski et al, 2010;Malebranche et al, 2009). …”

San Francisco e a nova economia do desejo

“…Nos bairros e cidades vizinhas, criam-se redes de contatos e até relações de maneira que, para esses usuários, a desterritorialização e os fluxos comunicacionais ganhou visibilidade a partir da epidemia de aids, quando se percebeu que muitos homens heterossexuais também faziam sexo com outros homens e tal prática passou a ser temida como possível via de contaminação de suas esposas pelo vírus HIV, o que estudos recentes na área de saúde pública negam (cf. Bond et al, 2009). 12 Nos EUA, em menor grau, mas em São Paulo de forma mais forte, há essa priorização dos contatos com parceiros em potencial que estejam a uma distância "segura", leia-se próximos o suficiente para o encontro, mas longe o suficiente para manter a independência e/ou anonimato.…”