
October 11 marked National Coming Out Day -- an internationally observed day to encourage lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people to have discussions on living open and honest lives.
To coincide with National Coming Out Day, a new web series NoMoreDownLow.TV launched its premiere episode with Wanda Sykes, Wilson Cruz and photographer Duane Cramer.
Celebrated author Terry McMillan's ex-husband, Jonathan Plummer, co-hosts the show, which is said to combat negative stereotypes of the Down Low phenom.
"I think it's amazing and hopefully people will look at this as a very base of people struggling with their honestly and pick this day to be forthcoming with their family friends, boyfriend or girlfriend," he shared exclusively with BlackVoices.com.
A recent Vibe magazine article chronicled the lives of cross-dressing Morehouse College students and Plummer thinks that it speaks to the complexity of criticism gay men across the country are facing.
"It's really sad Morehouse is implementing these different rules," he revealed. "I think its morally wrong and it's kind of like setting the gay movement back in the south."

"If you want to express yourself in drag going to school, we should not be judging. In college, that's where we discover ourselves. No one is getting hurt by them expressing themselves or committing crimes."
Plummer, who inspired McMillan's novel and the film adaptation of the same name, 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back,' met the then-forty-something best-selling 'Waiting To Exhale' novelist when he was in his twenties.
Their storybook love affair, which began in his native Jamaica, turned very messy when he revealed to McMillan in 2005 that he was gay.
Their saga became national news after they shared their personal stories on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.'
"I was young when I met Terry, my ex-wife," Plummer reflected. "And now we can talk about the scenario and situation with me being 20 years old [and] from a country where we don't talk about sexuality or same-sex anything. The norm is getting married, having kids, and living happily ever after."
And though the couple battled in and out of the courtroom for years, they both agreed to make peace and get on with their lives.
"For me, I had let it go and I gave up, but when she called me like, 'Let's just let this go and move on with our lives,' and the moment we both decided to drop the lawsuit it was a sense of relief, and we are actually speaking to each other and not cursing each other out. The first time we spoke we spoke for hours," he shared.
"I do want the best for her and I do hope that she falls in love again."

A few weeks ago, Plummer returned to 'Oprah' -- alongside McMillan -- and the two are now getting along well, although he's yet to pick up a copy of her latest New York Times best-seller 'Getting to Happy.'
"That's the reason I did the show," he confided. "I apologized many different times and many different ways. We are in a different place and can laugh about things now that we couldn't laugh about then."
"I've done a lot of personal growth in myself and I've learned a lot and I'm very comfortable with my sexuality and I want to let people know I'm not a bad person."
Though he has yet to find that special someone, Plummer, who penned a 2007 novel of his own titled 'Balancing Act,' is busy starting up a new pet grooming business. NoMoreDownLow.TV, will air new episodes monthly.
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Comments: (110)
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By: pink on 10/12/2010 4:53PM
I am definitely not homophobic; but college is not the place to dress like a drag queen. There are other outlets for a person to express themselves. For example at a Gay Pride Parade. Colleges, just like employers, schools, etc. have boundaries, rules and regulations, and rightfully so. Plummers so called statement that Morehouse's decision is morally wrong is asinine. Deceiving a person is morally wrong (which is what he did to Terry).
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By: ARNEADER on 10/12/2010 6:28PM
I was at that show back in 2005 and it was a trip. Terry went SLAM OFF! I didn't blame her one bit! LIAR! I just had a bad experience today and yesterday. This "white woman" in this Toastmasters club I use to belong to added me to her womens group email list. On gay out day the club sends everyone an invitation to a LGBT panel discussion. So those like myself not interested sked to be Unsubscribed. The womens group got mad and attacked us for wanting to unsubscribe. They wouldn't give up with the emails. Finally, I told them I was sending all the emails to the local newspaper to show how they were coercing people to accept their right to invite people against their will to their meeting. I hope our local newspaper publish the emails so they can show people how these women got mad because people did not want to be a part of their LGBT panel discussion.
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By: Karen H on 10/13/2010 12:48PM
I am with you on this one. Someone always wants to turn disruptive behavior into a "rights" issue. Well if that is true then lets open the door for all to express their preferred lifestyle in a college setting. How about College Skank Day? Those who like to wear revealing clothing should be able to dress like a skank to express their true self. How about "Freaky Deaky Day" for people into S and M? You should be able to wear your leather, whips, and chains. I could go on and on. Some may say my examples are extreme. But all are a type of psychological impairment and should be looked upon the same. I say if you want to sashay around, do it somewhere else.
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By: rh on 10/13/2010 3:17PM
WhAT DECEPTION! A blind man can smell the sweetnes on this brother,just because he good with the soul pole, don't mean he want give up that round eye or go after the salami.
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By: John Lindsay on 10/12/2010 5:49PM
The "down low" term is nothing but bullsh*t.
This behavior or lifestyle or whatever you want to call it.....has been known for decades...as being "bisexual."
Why is a new term needed because Blacks are doing it?!
This is parallel to calling the theft of a vehicle by White teens as "joyriding."
But when Black teens do the same, it's called grand theft auto.
So again, why are "gay White men who keep their sexuality in the closet while dating a woman....called bisexual"...but when Black men do the same...it's called "on the down low?!"
Nothing but ignorance.
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By: ladfydi on 10/12/2010 8:10PM
ITA..
agree ...
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By: Jamel Linzsey on 10/13/2010 2:08AM
You're totally off on this one John. When a man is "OPENLY" having sex with a man and a woman, it is call being bisexual. The down-low term comes into play when a man is having sex with men and women but is not OPEN about it with the woman. I don't have a problem with men being bisexual. I have a problem with men not being OPEN with the women that they are putting at risk. I don't think it has anything to do with race. If a white man is having risky sex with men and women without being honest with the woman he's on the down low just like a black man would be.
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By: Tom on 10/13/2010 7:39AM
"On the down low" is a term and/or phrase by blacks for blacks. This was and is not "whites" labeling blacks or anyone else. Look of the origin of the term.
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By: djkut on 10/13/2010 2:46PM
Well said John and to add fuel to this mess they got a TV show talking about this behavior. Black folks have more problem in this country than to focus on some SISSY ASS TV show, because no matter how they want to engage in convo about this behavior. Most of these white folks still see Blacks at any level as a Nigg@
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By: jb on 10/13/2010 3:15PM
It doesn't matter what the color of the person is. You are still on the "DL" if you're behaving in that manner. This is not a Black or White issue period!
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