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

Abstract

The popular media has reinforced stereotypes of the down-low identity and Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) and women as being synonymous and directly responsible for the increased HIV infection rates among Black women in the United States. This review of literature found that the down-low identity was most often classified with the other MSM activities. HIV/AIDS were also closely associated with the down-low identity in much of the literature, either directly or indirectly. Results from this systematic literature, however, failed to support claims that risky sexual behaviors were directly associated with the down-low identity. None of the literature reviewed considered BMSM and women's gender expression within a bisexual context. Instead, this literature review generated new questions pertaining to the reductive manner in which Western societies organize BMSM and women's sexual identities, behaviors, and expressions.

KEYWORDS:

• down low
• Black
• bisexuality
• MSM
• gay
• same gender loving
• HIV/AIDS

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lincoln Pettaway

Lincoln Pettaway's, PhD, research interests include same-gender loving communities, African male identity formation, health service administration, work identities, workplace diversity, community education, capacity building and transfer, nonprofit management, and nonprofit marketing. Dr. Pettaway has several years of professional marketing, management, and consulting experience. Over the past few years, he has worked with youth in the Miami-Dade school system while consulting with the Alliance for GLBTQ Youth. Dr. Pettaway also works with the American Psychological Association as a Behavioral Social Scientist Volunteer (BSSV), where he provides technical assistance to Centers for Disease Control–funded organizations as well as other nonprofit organizations. Dr. Pettaway recently joined Florida International University's College of Nursing and Health Sciences where he is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Administration. Dr. Pettaway also blogs for the Body.com and the BodyPro.com, one of the web's oldest and largest sources of HIV and AIDS information.

Lawrence Bryant

Lawrence Bryant, PhD, has more than 10 years of experience using behavioral theory, clinical practice, and educational strategies to assess community needs. As program coordinator at Emory University, Center of AIDS Research; program manager at Morehouse School of Medicine, Prevention Research Center; and also currently a tenure-track professor at Georgia State University Respiratory Therapy Division, Dr. Bryant has experience in developing and implementing efficacious HIV/AIDS intervention strategies that are gender, cultural, and age specific. He also has experience conducting qualitative research, including facilitating focus groups, interviewing, conducting needs assessments, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, survey development, and community-based participatory research strategies.

Florence Keane

Florence Keane, PhD, is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Florida International University in their RN to BSN program, a MS in nursing from Florida International University, and graduated as an adult nurse practitioner. Her doctor of nursing science degree was completed at Florida Atlantic University, during which time she also completed a Certificate Program as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Florida International University. Dr. Keane is nationally certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as an adult nurse practitioner. Dr. Keane's areas of research are cultural diversity, gerontology, health practices, health disparities, mental health nursing, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease.

Shelley Craig

Shelley Craig, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Dr. Craig's research is grounded in 20 years of community practice and addresses the social determinants of health and mental health and the impact of the service delivery system on sexual minority populations. As principal investigator, she has recently tested several targeted interventions for sexual minority youth, researched the influence of the media on the resiliency and identity of this vulnerable population, studied the efficacy of a health promotion program for minority youth involved with the juvenile justice system, and identified the experiences and readiness to practice of queer students in schools of social work in a large North American study.