Many black men who sleep with other men do not consider themselves to be gay. These men live "on the down low," the "DL" for short, and their sexual activities have gained notice as the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in black women has increased, with the majority of cases coming from heterosexual sex.

The term down low originally comes from R&B lyrics, where it means an illicit relationship. Now, being on the down low describes men who have sex with other men but appear straight, have relationships with women, and don't acknowledge being gay or even bisexual. In addition, they usually don't identify with gay culture, which they see as white and effeminate.

Two thirds of all women reported with AIDS in the United States are African-American and two thirds of all children born with AIDS in the US are African-American, yet African Americans represent only an estimated 12% of the total US population. Some of these women and children have been infected by the men they love; men on the “down low.” Living heterosexual lives while hiding their homosexuality on the down low is impacting the black community, compounded by the apparent reluctance of these straight-acting guys to use condoms. New Nation points out that there has been no official study of the percentage of black men on the DL, so no-one knows exactly how many are secretly having gay sex. However, an insider explains "A lot of 'straight' guys don’t classify themselves as being bisexual or gay. There are some guys who consider themselves straight who would never perform oral sex on a man but would gladly have it done to them. Prison is another place where straight men are known to be initiated into homosexuality. Gay behavior in prison is often acceptable for straight guys. And when they come out, they don’t talk about it; they go back to their normal ways. There are even guys from church. I met one guy who was a choir director; he was introduced to me and I said, 'I know you', and he looked frightened. Some guys even go to church to cruise."

Many men on the down low seek a strictly physical sexual relationship with their secret male partners while remaining in more traditional arrangements with women.

The debate about homosexuality that has roiled predominantly white mainline churches for years has gradually seeped into African-American congregations, threatening their unity, finances and, in some cases, their existence. Some black ministers, like their white counterparts, said they had been moved to reconsider biblical passages about same-sex relations by personal events, like finding out that a friend or relative is gay. Some members of the clergy contend that because of the antipathy to gay men and lesbians, black churches have done little to address the high rate of HIV infection among African-Americans. Some leading African-American religious thinkers and leaders — like Cornel West, the Rev Peter J Gomes and the Rev Michael Eric Dyson — have called for inclusion of gay men and lesbians. But other leaders are convinced that the Bible condemns homosexuality and that tolerance of gay men and lesbians is a yet another dangerous force buffeting the already fragile black family. — The New York Times

How should the community and the church deal with the issue? Let me know what you think.

To be honest, the "DL" issue is really old. It caught national attention slightly due to E Lynn Harris' books back in the early '90s, but since JL King's book, the issue has exploded. Let me give a little background. Back in the day, it was not called "DL," men living as such were called "trade," ie, a man who looked/acted very straight/hard, usually had a girl, but secretly would "kick it" with dudes from time to time. This was common with white males, too, but of course, as we all know, black men have a different sense of how they are supposed to carry themselves. Any hint of softness could be damaging, and of course, this goes back to the attempt to establish your manhood in a society that told you that you were less than. At any rate, and unfortunately, since the black community has not acknowledged homosexuality and we have swept it under the rug, we are now dealing with a health epidemic that is crippling us, not to mention dividing us. Now with that understanding, you pose the question, how are we to deal with it, especially the church, since so many of our talented, gifted brothers have passed to an unnecessary disease? And I assure you, I do not correlate same-sex attractions to HIV/AIDS. They are two separate issues, but they are connected in distance. First, church leaders need to stop dealing with the issue from the pulpit in ignorance, and address it in compassion and love. They say some of the most ridiculous banter, thinking that is going to propel someone to seek help. They need to educate themselves. Church people do more damage when they reply to the gay agenda machine with silly things like "Adam and Steve" crap. Secondly, if you are a church leader and you are unfamiliar with the issue, have someone who has lived that lifestyle and are comfortable in giving their testimony of deliverance from it, have that person to speak at your next men’s/women’s conference. The Christian body needs to see others who have successfully left that lifestyle and are living in wholeness and holiness in Christ. To see that can inspire others to make a change. Thirdly, address teens during teen conferences. Teens are being bombarded with "gay is OK" mantra on TV, in magazines, and even in some schools. Homosexuality is being offered as an alternative to God's standard. Most secondary schools teach students that homosexuality is just a variant of life. With this type of world indoctrination, our churches have to become places of resources and strength and truth. And lastly, pray! Pray for God's heart for those struggling with sexuality. They need help not condemnation. The church has condemned too many people to hell without helping them get to heaven. Stop lying, saying we love everybody, but treat the homosexual like a cancer. Jesus paid the price for everyone, but they'll never know it cuz the church doesn't give anyone any grace but themselves. Show love to the struggler, befriend them. We, as the body of Christ, with struggling Christians, cannot with integrity, tell people not to do something, without showing how to stop doing it. I myself lived that life for over 10 years, but God was good to me and took me out of the gay life (thru a process that was not overnight), and now I am a counsellor at my church in Atlanta, and I speak out on how the church can effectively minister to the struggling Christian. — JD

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