A new study has been published which took a deep dive into teh statistics surrounding Black men “on the down low” .
The study – published in the American Journal of Public Health – assessed the relationship between down-low identification and STD risk outcomes among more than 1,000 Black men.
Down-low Identification was not associated with unprotected a**l or v****** s*x with male or female partners. Future HIV prevention programs and research should target risky behaviors of Black men, irrespective of identity, and not focus on the “down low.”
The term “on the down low” has been used to describe Black men who identify as straight yet put their female partners at risk for HIV infection by secretly having gay relationships.
The study sought to assess whether or not down low identity is associated with greater sexual risk behavior with male or female partners of Black men. And the results were nothing short of shocking.
Here are some of the stats uncovered by the new study:
29% reported “trading s**” with men recently (* we’re not sure what “trading” s** means)
73% DL men had recent an*l with men
46% of DL men had recent s*x with women
59% of DL men who had recent unprotected s*x with women
43% of DL men were HIV positive
90% had previously been tested for HIV
86% felt keeping gay sëx secret was important
Income
80% earned less than 20k
60.7% earn less than 10k
9.8% earned more than 30k
11% earned between 20k-29,999
18.5% earned between 10k-19,999
23.9% earned between 5k-9,999
36.8% earned less than 5k
Ages of participants
13.1% were 18-29
18.1% were 30-39
48.6% were 40-49
20.3% were 50+
According to the stats, the vast majority of DL men make less than $30,000 a year, and have recently had an** with men. And nearly half of them have HIV, but still have unprotected s** with women.
Damn, it’s worse than we thought.
[social_warfare]