This first-person narrative focuses on a time when I was employed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in New York City. The term “DL,” which is short for “on the down low,” is a common way to refer to Black men who live their everyday lives in the guise of heterosexuals, are often married to women, yet also engage in discreet relationships with other men. For years, some DL and Black gay men have struggled to understand the Black community’s objection to the union of homosexual relationships.

It is a subject that burns deep within the heart and soul of the United States. While I was growing up, conversations about homosexual relationships were a taboo subject for as long as I can remember.