If it’s “keep this on the down-low” or such, that is what it means, but if it were like, “he’s on the down-low,” that would refer to a guy who identifies as straight and also has sex with other men.
It can also be used to refer to guys who date trans women but don’t want anyone to know they’re dating a trans woman. This is often incredibly dangerous for the trans woman.
Damn kids these days and their hip new slang!… or hip new interpretations of pre-existing slang!… or versions of slang that have been around a real long time that I didn’t know about!
Yeah, same.
Joyce used it oddly in the sentence, but her definition was, if anything, adding more sexual implication that the statement actually has.
I assume Jocelyne is just teasing her here?
It is also AAVE slang for a black man who identifies as straight but seeks out gay sexual relationships, but the definition you (and Joyce) are referring to is perfectly valid and FAR FAR more common. “That’s not the ONLY thing ‘on the down low’ means” would make more sense as the line. As it’s currently written, the reader is apparently meant to assume that Joyce is wrong in her understanding of the phrase, which she is not.
You have failed to consider the possibility that Jocelyne is deliberately pretending Joyce’s use of the phrase is weird for the purpose of sibling harassment, as is her right as elder.
“Usually” is relative. I wager most of the population wouldn’t blink at Joyce’s usage. That’s the standard. Its use in the gay community is more niche.
Fucking what?!
As a lesbian who owns multiple strap-ons and makes frequent use of them, I have never in my live used “on the Dee ell” in reference to strapped sex nor ever heard any of my many sapphic friends do so either.
Is this a regional thing? Like people calling all sodas “coke”?
Well, Joyce, the good news is that I’m pretty sure the more Dorothy gently whispers things in your ear, the more likely you are to end up actually on the down-low.
It does mean that, in the vast majority of contexts. Even in the sexual context that people are describing here, it’s referring back to the original meaning of the phrase (being secretive/discreet).
Me too, but me being a furriner that is not surprising. I am a bit more worried about my browser (or google?) being able to suggest/autofill “on the down low meaning” as a buzzword when I was half way into typing it.
Presumably, there was a lot of other people who read this particular webpage, then went to google that phrase. Cause um… I sure did.
Honestly, I’m more concerned about discussing with my husband if my phone has induction charging, and then immediately having amazon pop up with the exact “occult style light up charging pad” I was saying I’d want. Cause that was entirely verbal and it definitely picked that up via the mic.
Becky continues to have an intentionally-antagonistic-on-her-part relationship with Dorothy due to her jealousy over Dorothy having a larger part in Joyce’s life recently than Becky has had, despite Becky and Joyce having been best friends for most of their lives until Joyce left for college. Dorothy being the one Joyce turns to for things continues to be a sore spot for Becky.
Also Joyce’s feelings for Dorothy are different than they are for Becky. Not necessarily romantic, but certainly a lot closer to being romantic, and that’s gotta sting for someone who was nursing a crush for basically her whole life
Not being into girls at all is one thing, not being into you specifically is another.
I dunno the specific name of the fallacy, and it’s related to the Ad Populum fallacy, but basically it’s “If you’re in a group of 100 people that think one way about the same thing, it’s easy to think that that thing you all think is normal due to . If 900 other people think another way about that same thing, while the 100 people who think that way are still a lot of people, it’s also still only 10% of the population that thinks that way, 100/9900 -> 1%, etc.”
The main reason why Jocelyne would think saying that you are “on the down low” – which normally means “secretive” in general – would mean what most here in the comments say means “secretive about one’s sexuality” is because they’re a person in a community where that phrase is used much more commonly to refer to that, rather than the general population’s definition of the term. It’s important to note that Joyce’ usage of the term, to most people, shouldn’t lead one to believe that “on the down low” would mean she’s being secretive about her sexuality/gender/whatever.
Its importance is subjective, true, but to me it’s an important distinction and piece of context that until I commented it hadn’t been mentioned in the discussion of today’s strip so far.
Speaking as A Clueless Straight Guy, I would hear it as meaning she had some specific secret she was keeping, decide it probably didn’t mean she was secretly on drugs, and probably land on the sexuality thing by default.
I would not interprete as meaning she was good at keeping secrets in general unless she told me, because I’ve never heard anyone use it to mean that before.
Either I didn’t know that meaning of “down-low” until I googled it just now, or I learned it long ago but forgot. In any case I can’t blame Joyce for not knowing. But it’s gonna be funny when she finds out.
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*plays “Filthy/Gorgeous by Scissor Sisters on hacked muzak*
now imagining a Joyce confession
Joyce: “I’ve touched Joe’s PENIS.”
Joss: “Oh, is THAT what you think it was?”
Joyce: o_O “psst Dorothy, what did I touch on Joe”
Dorothy: Sideshow Bob eeeughgueeugheugh.
Comments you can hear.
Just belly laughed at that so hard I literally trampolined my dog off me.
Joss: That’s his ‘taint’. As in, “Tha taint Joe’s penis”.
Taint his ass either.
Dorothy: I wasn’t there, maybe you should ask Joe.
“And feel free to gently nibble it while you’re there.”
So how long before Joyce tells Jocelyne she’s touched Joe’s wiener?
I give her seven minutes
The real question is how long before Joyce discusses her washing machine adventure with Dorothy?
It will come tumbling out eventually.
I also would like Dorothy to whisper in my ear, because I only know “on the down low” to mean “keep this discrete/secret”.
If it’s “keep this on the down-low” or such, that is what it means, but if it were like, “he’s on the down-low,” that would refer to a guy who identifies as straight and also has sex with other men.
OH. Well don’t I feel silly for posting several seconds after you did.
Huh. I had no idea.
That’s the definition I’ve known for almost 30 years, from the gay Afro-American community.
Well, well. Looks like I am one of XKCD’s “10,000” today!
I have also never heard this before and thought it meant what Joyce thought.
Yeah, I’d be surprised if Dorothy knew the meaning Jocelyne is implying.
It can also be used to refer to guys who date trans women but don’t want anyone to know they’re dating a trans woman. This is often incredibly dangerous for the trans woman.
Damn kids these days and their hip new slang!… or hip new interpretations of pre-existing slang!… or versions of slang that have been around a real long time that I didn’t know about!
I used to be “with it”, then they changed what “it” was!
Yeah, same.
Joyce used it oddly in the sentence, but her definition was, if anything, adding more sexual implication that the statement actually has.
I assume Jocelyne is just teasing her here?
It is also AAVE slang for a black man who identifies as straight but seeks out gay sexual relationships, but the definition you (and Joyce) are referring to is perfectly valid and FAR FAR more common. “That’s not the ONLY thing ‘on the down low’ means” would make more sense as the line. As it’s currently written, the reader is apparently meant to assume that Joyce is wrong in her understanding of the phrase, which she is not.
You have failed to consider the possibility that Jocelyne is deliberately pretending Joyce’s use of the phrase is weird for the purpose of sibling harassment, as is her right as elder.
None of this is at variance with the general meaning “secretly”.
[clueless_old_guy]
What does “on the down-low” mean?
Usually means you’re dating same-sex in secret. You put DL “down low” in your profile on gay dating sites to tell people to be discrete.
It does get used as a more general discretion thing, I’ve definitely seen it in non-sexual contexts
That would explain Becky’s face in the last panel.
“Usually” is relative. I wager most of the population wouldn’t blink at Joyce’s usage. That’s the standard. Its use in the gay community is more niche.
Jocelyne is teasing/messing with Joyce.
[english as 3rd language]
I was wondering, too
[English as 1st language]
I was wondering, too.
secretly but “actively” gay.
https://www.dumbingofage.com/dee-ell/
So “in the closet” is passe?
There’s overlap, but it’s different.
It’s generally used to describe black men who engage in clandestine gay sex, but don’t consider themselves gay.
Basically, if Aaron from Pixie Trix Comix was black…
Only wrong answers, right?
“On the dee-ell” is slang for wearing a strap-on.
Fucking what?!
As a lesbian who owns multiple strap-ons and makes frequent use of them, I have never in my live used “on the Dee ell” in reference to strapped sex nor ever heard any of my many sapphic friends do so either.
Is this a regional thing? Like people calling all sodas “coke”?
Consider that Deanatay is responding to their own “only wrong answers” comment.
Don’t forget, Joyce is a size six. 😉
Or a trans-man wearing a packer in public so as to present a bulge.
Well, Joyce, the good news is that I’m pretty sure the more Dorothy gently whispers things in your ear, the more likely you are to end up actually on the down-low.
Some washing machines might consider her already there.
I’d say they were a bit more up high for that
At least someone’s enjoying their fries, but how about the rest of yous go fetch food (or re-fetch, in Dina’s case) and get seated already
Ok I’m with Joyce. I thought on the down-low meant keeping things low key and secretive
It can mean two things! But yes I thought the same as well.
It does mean that, in the vast majority of contexts. Even in the sexual context that people are describing here, it’s referring back to the original meaning of the phrase (being secretive/discreet).
Looked into it and the sexual meaning IS the original meaning. I’m a dingus. Can’t edit/remove my original comment so I’ll just leave this here!
Ive heard it both ways.
But as a self ID , Closeted Gay/Bi man had blown up in the African American community by 2003
Me too, but me being a furriner that is not surprising. I am a bit more worried about my browser (or google?) being able to suggest/autofill “on the down low meaning” as a buzzword when I was half way into typing it.
Presumably, there was a lot of other people who read this particular webpage, then went to google that phrase. Cause um… I sure did.
Honestly, I’m more concerned about discussing with my husband if my phone has induction charging, and then immediately having amazon pop up with the exact “occult style light up charging pad” I was saying I’d want. Cause that was entirely verbal and it definitely picked that up via the mic.
I think ‘On the down low’ was secret.
But “Down-Low” took over as closeted MSM among Black Americans.
‘on the’ was dropped.
“This”, Jocelyn, being… your little sister’s awkward lesbian awakening?
Regarding the preponderances of alternate definitions of “the down-low”, let me assure everyone of something.
An older sister playfully toying with the younger sibling about things is absolutely in character :D.
Jocelyne has clearly missed getting to poke fun at her sister
Is it weird that I really want to see the Bulmeria protests?
Also, somehow for Jocelyn to become part of the main cast.
GRADUATE COURSES!
The ship isn’t gonna sail, but it’s still fun to watch.
Ahhhh, Joss is the best big sister.
Early comic for tomorrow isn’t helping me here, why does Becky look so heartbroken here? Is she still thinking about “your sexuality might change”?
Because Joyce was unintentionally gay with Dorothy?
Becky continues to have an intentionally-antagonistic-on-her-part relationship with Dorothy due to her jealousy over Dorothy having a larger part in Joyce’s life recently than Becky has had, despite Becky and Joyce having been best friends for most of their lives until Joyce left for college. Dorothy being the one Joyce turns to for things continues to be a sore spot for Becky.
Also Joyce’s feelings for Dorothy are different than they are for Becky. Not necessarily romantic, but certainly a lot closer to being romantic, and that’s gotta sting for someone who was nursing a crush for basically her whole life
Not being into girls at all is one thing, not being into you specifically is another.
I dunno the specific name of the fallacy, and it’s related to the Ad Populum fallacy, but basically it’s “If you’re in a group of 100 people that think one way about the same thing, it’s easy to think that that thing you all think is normal due to . If 900 other people think another way about that same thing, while the 100 people who think that way are still a lot of people, it’s also still only 10% of the population that thinks that way, 100/9900 -> 1%, etc.”
The main reason why Jocelyne would think saying that you are “on the down low” – which normally means “secretive” in general – would mean what most here in the comments say means “secretive about one’s sexuality” is because they’re a person in a community where that phrase is used much more commonly to refer to that, rather than the general population’s definition of the term. It’s important to note that Joyce’ usage of the term, to most people, shouldn’t lead one to believe that “on the down low” would mean she’s being secretive about her sexuality/gender/whatever.
It really isn’t that important to note, is it?
Its importance is subjective, true, but to me it’s an important distinction and piece of context that until I commented it hadn’t been mentioned in the discussion of today’s strip so far.
It may not have earth-shattering significance, but it is interesting, so thanks for characterizing it for us.
Speaking as A Clueless Straight Guy, I would hear it as meaning she had some specific secret she was keeping, decide it probably didn’t mean she was secretly on drugs, and probably land on the sexuality thing by default.
I would not interprete as meaning she was good at keeping secrets in general unless she told me, because I’ve never heard anyone use it to mean that before.
To be clear, “some specific secret she was keeping” regarding her own lifestyle.
Jocelyn has a lot of confidence they know more than Joyce and almost all of that is unearned.
I mean, she didn’t even know superheroes exist.
I googled it and now I am saying “oh no” while laughing. It’s too good.
Either I didn’t know that meaning of “down-low” until I googled it just now, or I learned it long ago but forgot. In any case I can’t blame Joyce for not knowing. But it’s gonna be funny when she finds out.
I didn’t ever hear “down bad” until earlier this arc.
Younger webcomic creators than I are doing their best to keep me current.
But if you haven’t heard of Strong Bad until now… Holy crap!
That’s why it’s generally a good idea to check what terms mean before incorporating them into your regular vernacular
Or just use them and brace yourself for embarassment — that’s how we learn.
Return of the Joyce Eye Twitch 😀
By This does she mean Joyce or are the fries here just so good she had to have some XD
I think she’s using the fry to point at her out self
Joyce is down low for her, down bad for him, and will someday learn what these terms mean.
I’m just waiting for the day when she proudly refers to herself as a “friend of Dorothy”.