Men who have sex with men
Encyclopedia : M : ME : MEN : Men who have sex with men
Especially among African Americans, "being on the down-low" is one form of MSM. The ex-convict, gangster, and rapper stereotypes are associated with this term. While the male partner of someone "on the down-low" is often aware of the double-life implied by such sexual activity, wives and girlfriends are usually kept from that knowledge. This label is also used in the context of "macho" culture or subcultures for distinguishing between "active" and "passive" sexual partners, where the "active" partner does not usually consider himself to be homosexual.
Oftentimes, sexual encounters between such men occur anonymously. In the US, YMCAs were for many years common places for men to meet other men, while in recent years gay bathhouses and clubs have provided alternative venues. It is also not unheard of for men who have sex with men to work in the gay porn industry while engaging in heterosexual relationships away from work (see gay-for-pay).
In general, MSM is seen as a wider category that covers both self-identified gay men and other men who engage in same-sex sexual activity.
See also
External links
- [J.L. King, Mr. "Down Low"], author of On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of "Straight" Black Men Who Sleep with Men
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