Today I was propositioned by a person seeking DL men to interview for a book he's in the process of writing. I could have just said no, like the anti-drug slogan. But why just say no? Why waste the opportunity to add a reason? Well the door was openened and the following is my reply:

Thanks for opening up the opportunity for me to let you know that I absolutely do not fit the type you're looking for. Being DL is a selfdeprecatory, self-defeating phenomenon. It disgusts me to the core that people would limit where they go, who they associate with, and whose alliance they have in order to appease a segment of the population that hates their guts. The DL population promotes and supports people in power (politicians, preachers, etc), who, many times, might very well be getting theirs in privately, while publicly supporting policies that slowly detract from the ability of gays and lesbians right to live in peace. When I think of DL men, I visualize an undercover homosexual standing idly while he observes a fatal gay bashing. That's just what comes to my mind.

So the moral of the story is, don't come at me for an interview too early in the morning. Just kidding. Now I don't live in a vacuum. I know that there are numerous reasons that men choose to live on the low. But underlying each of these reasons is cowardice. This fact should at least be acknowledged. Instead being DL is insanely viewed as a badge of honor in some circles of the gay community. This is ironic since it is actually the epitome of acquiescence to shame. Unfortunately, the DL phenomenon, in my opinion, threatens to usher the gay community in a regressive march towards a time when homosexuals were treated much worse.

I'm also aware of the marketability of the topic these days. I can't blame a person for trying to make a buck. But capitalizing on a groups' mass neurosis or psychosis seems to me a bit sinister. It's true to say that the DL phenomenon is what it is, so writing about it or doing third rate flicks about it is merely telling the story. But it's not telling the entire story and it's doing nothing to mitigate the unfortunate status quo. Keeping who you are under wraps, makes it easier for those so inclined to continue making your life miserable. Your co worker might not be so frivolous with anti-gay rhetoric, or anecdotes, if he or she knew that the supervisor is gay. But the sup is on the low. And the straight supervisor might not be so tolerant of inappropriate anti-gay slurs if he knew that his son's gay or that his manager's gay. One may never know because for the time being it's "to the rear MARCHING" towards oppression and silence to the beat of a self perpetuating drum of defeat.