Men who have sex with men
From Free net encyclopedia
Current revision
Template:Unreferenced Men who engage in sexual behavior with other men, but do not necessarily identify themselves as "gay" or "bisexual", are often described as "MSM" or "Men who have Sex with Men". Likewise, different definitions of "homosexual" may include or exclude people engaged in varying levels of activity, frequency, or interest. Also sometimes abbreviated as "M4M."
Especially among African Americans, MSM behavior is also known as "being on the down-low". The ex-convict, gangster, and rapper stereotypes are associated with this term. While the male partner of someone "on the down-low" is often aware of the double-life implied by such sexual activity, wives and girlfriends are usually kept from that knowledge. This label is also used in the context of "macho" culture or subcultures for distinguishing between "active" and "passive" sexual partners, where the "active" partner does not usually consider himself to be homosexual.
Oftentimes, sexual encounters between such men occur anonymously. In the US, YMCAs were for many years common places for men to meet other men, while in recent years gay bathhouses and clubs have provided alternative venues for this lifestyle. It is also not unheard of for men who have sex with men to work in the gay porn industry while engaging in heterosexual relationships away from work (see gay-for-pay).
In general, MSM is seen as a wider category that covers both self-identified gay men and other men who engage in same-sex sexual activity.