What's up with the Down Low: The Media's Impact on the AIDS CRISIS
The lifestyle commonly referred to as the "Down Low" (African American males that have sexual relationships with other men but do not consider them- selves gay or bisexual) has gained widespread media attention since 2001. Because homosexuality continues to be stigmatized, "living on the Down Low" is a culturally unacceptable lifestyle in the African American community. Little research has been conducted on the issue and its contribution to the increase in reported AIDS cases among African Americans. This study seeks to identify factors which contribute to this belief that men living on the "Down Low" though little studied in the research literature, the "Down Low" is popularly claimed to be responsible for the increasing HIV infection rates among heterosexual African American women. Content analysis was used to analyze and identify media representations of the "Down Low' as well as to analyze the media's tactics which reinforce it, ant to assess the accuracy of these stories in comparison to CDC statistics. The current trend ties into the media's history of marginalizing the community by preying on the fears held by many heterosexual men and women.
School:
Dillard University
Department:
Psychology
Research Advisor:
Paula Treichler
Department of Research Advisor:
Communications
Year of Publication:
2005