Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing

Sexual Discretion explores the relationship between black masculinity and queer sexuality, focusing on 'down low' (DL) communities where men maintain public masculine roles while engaging in same-sex relations discreetly.

Drawing from media studies, literary analysis, and ethnography, Jeffrey Q. McCune Jr. unveils how social expectations complicate expressions of same-sex desire, challenging binaries of closeted or out identities.

The book analyzes representations in sources like R. Kelly's hip-hopera and critiques essentialist notions of race, gender, and sexuality.