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Decoding and demystifying the social media slang term
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You’ve seen those 2 letters used everywhere on TikTok. Usually it’s in videos that say something like, “How to know if someone is DL.” But what does “DL” even mean? And what does it mean for someone to “be DL?” Is it a bad thing? We’ll tell you upfront that the term’s got lots of history, and there’s more nuance to it than you might think. We’ll fill you in on what “DL” means, its origin, and some common misconceptions surrounding the term. Then, we’ll give you some related terms and other possible definitions, just to cover your bases.
Things You Should Know
- “DL” is an abbreviation that means “down low,” which is another way to say that something is secret or on a need-to-know basis.
- “Down low” is a slang term that refers to a person who is publicly straight but secretly gay.
- “DL” might also be short for “download,” “distance learning,” or “defensive lineman.”
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References
- ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/on-the-down-low
- ↑ https://www.montclair.edu/lgbtq-center/lgbtq-resources/terminology/
- ↑ https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=phil_fac
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/magazine/double-lives-on-the-down-low.html
- ↑ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2006/08/can-you-be-white-and-on-the-down-low.html
- ↑ https://www.presstelegram.com/2009/07/26/e-lynn-harris-54-author-helped-introduce-people-to-the-down-low/
- ↑ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2006/08/can-you-be-white-and-on-the-down-low.html
- ↑ https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=phil_fac
- ↑ https://www.grindrbloop.com/zine/2020/grindr-glossary
- ↑ https://www.montclair.edu/lgbtq-center/lgbtq-resources/terminology/
- ↑ https://www.montclair.edu/lgbtq-center/lgbtq-resources/terminology/
- ↑ https://slang.net/meaning/dl
- ↑ https://www.techopedia.com/definition/1175/data-definition-language-ddl
- ↑ https://www.dol.gov/
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/the-trouble-with-divisive-leadership/285208
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/decilitre
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/dimensionless-quantity
- ↑ https://www.mtsac.edu/distancelearning/
- ↑ https://footballadvantage.com/defensive-line-positions/
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