| Abstrakt: |
The phenomenon known as the "down low" among African American Men who have Sex with Men (AAMSM) has caused much concern among black community leaders, HIV/AIDS researchers, and the general population, but little research has been conducted on this phenomenon from the perspective of AAMSM. The present study sets out to address this gap in the literature and demonstrates how the "down low" phenomenon affects these men's personal identity negotiation and stigma management strategies. Using a modified version of grounded theory, twelve AAMSM were interviewed about their views on the "down low" and about their sexual and racial identities. The study shows how these AAMSM reduce potential stigma by disassociating their own same-sex sexual activities from those of their stereotyped images of men "on the down low" and by providing contextual justifications for their own behaviors. The evidence presented here moves away from previous theories which emphasized individual choice in "down low" identification and instead highlights socio-structural factors that limit these men's perceived chance to disclose their sexual identities in specific situational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
