A quick text saying “keep it on the DL” usually means keep it secret. But “down low” also has a specific sexual meaning, and its history carries racial and cultural weight. Here’s how to read the phrase in context, why it became a national talking point, and why a label alone can’t explain someone’s identity or HIV risk.
Essential Takeaways
- In everyday messages, DL means secrecy: “Keep it on the DL” is usually a request not to share information.
- There’s also a sexual meaning: “On the down low” can describe men who secretly have sex with men.
- The phrase needs careful handling: NLGJA notes its origins among Black men and warns that it can stigmatise Black queer experiences.
- The HIV evidence points beyond labels: A 2009 study found no association between identifying as down low and the unprotected sex outcomes it examined.
- The wider context matters: CDC figures for 2024 show that females accounted for 20 per cent of US HIV diagnoses.
In a text, DL usually means “keep it secret”
A friend messaging “keep it on the DL” about a surprise party is asking you to keep quiet, not making a statement about anyone’s sexuality. Dictionary.com gives “on the down-low” both an everyday sense, meaning done secretly or discreetly, and a more specific sexual sense.
That’s why context matters. In ordinary conversation, “DL” is short for “down low”, and a request to keep something on the DL is generally about privacy. [2]
The phrase has a more specific meaning, too
In LGBTQ+ terminology, “down low” can refer to men who secretly have sex with men. NLGJA says the men described this way may have relationships with women and may not identify as gay or bisexual.
But the term isn’t a neutral label for everyone it might be applied to. NLGJA traces its origins to Black men, notes that it’s since spread more widely, and warns that it can racialise secrecy and stigmatise Black queer life. Its guidance advises journalists to use the term only in quotations or broad references, rather than assuming a person identifies with it. [3]
How “down low” became a national talking point
The expression moved into a much bigger public conversation in the early 2000s, when J.L. King’s book On the Down Low and his appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show drew attention to the subject. Salon reported that the book’s first printing was 13,000 copies and that 151,000 copies had shipped by August 2004, by which time it was in its 12th printing.
The attention also brought criticism. Salon’s reporting captured concerns that Black men were being portrayed as predators and that Black women were being frightened. That history helps explain why the phrase can feel loaded: it became part of a debate about race, sexuality, disclosure and HIV, not just a catchy abbreviation. [4]
What research says about the “DL” label and HIV
A 2005 review by researchers including Gregorio Millett and David Malebranche examined claims that men described as being on the down low were driving rising HIV diagnoses among Black women. The authors reviewed 24 articles and two conference abstracts, and concluded that high-risk heterosexual Black men’s contribution had been largely overlooked.
A later study looked at 1,151 Black men who have sex with men in Philadelphia and New York City. Published in the American Journal of Public Health, it found that identifying as down low was not associated with the unprotected anal or vaginal sex outcomes it examined. That finding is specific to the study; it’s a useful reminder not to treat a label as a shortcut for assessing any individual’s behaviour or risk. [5][6]
Put the numbers in their proper context
The CDC’s 2026 surveillance update reports that females accounted for 20 per cent of US HIV diagnoses in 2024. Among female diagnoses, Black or African American females accounted for 52 per cent, while representing 13 per cent of the female population.
Those figures describe diagnoses reported through public health surveillance; they don’t show that a particular identity or phrase causes transmission. For readers, the practical point is simple: interpret “DL” from the conversation around it, and don’t infer someone’s identity or behaviour from the term alone. [7]
A little context can turn a loaded phrase into a clearer conversation.
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