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These men are often discussed in scientific and public health literature under terms like “men who have sex with men and women” (MSMW) or “down‑low” (DL), especially in U.S. research contexts. 

Here’s a summary of what research shows:

📌 1. There is scientific research on this group

Researchers have studied men who:

• Don’t identify as gay but nevertheless have sex with men.
• Are married or in long‑term relationships with women.
• Often conceal this same‑sex activity from female partners and others. 

Much of this research has been conducted in the context of HIV/STD risk and sexual health, but also touches on identity, secrecy, and psychological adjustment.

📌 2. Who are “down‑low” men?

The term down‑low originated in some communities to describe men who:

• Identify publicly as heterosexual.
• Engage in sexual activity with other men in secret.
• Don’t disclose this behavior to their female partners or wider social network. 

It’s important to note that “down‑low” in research is sometimes used to describe behavioral patterns, not necessarily a formal identity.

📌 3. Sexual identity vs. behavior — they aren’t always the same

Sexual orientation has several components:

💠 Behavior — who someone has sex with
💠 Attraction — who someone feels sexually attracted to
💠 Identity — how someone labels themselves (gay / straight / bisexual / etc.)

Many men who have sex with both women and men don’t identify as gay or bisexual — even when their behavior includes sex with men. 

So, secret male‑male sex doesn’t automatically mean a man is “really gay” in terms of identity. Some possibilities include:

• Closeted bisexual: genuinely attracted to both men and women but not open about it.
• Closeted gay: primarily attracted to men but conforms outwardly to heterosexual norms.
• Sexual experimentation or curiosity: some men explore same‑sex behavior without adopting a gay or bisexual identity.
• Identity discordance: some men consider themselves heterosexual despite same‑sex behavior, due to stigma or personal reasons. 

There isn’t any research suggesting all such men are one “type” — instead, there’s a spectrum of attractions and identities.

📌 4. Why do some men keep it secret?

Studies looking at this group suggest a few major reasons why men might hide same‑sex behavior:

✅ Stigma and fear of rejection

Men often fear negative reactions from female partners, friends, family, and society if they disclose same‑sex behavior, which can lead to secrecy. 

✅ Internalized homophobia

Some men have negative feelings about same‑sex attraction and may deny it even to themselves, which contributes to non‑disclosure. 

✅ Societal expectations

Pressure to conform to traditional masculine or heterosexual norms can make it difficult to be open about same‑sex behavior even if it’s not infrequent. 

✅ Risk avoidance

Some research notes that behaviorally bisexual or DL men are concerned about social consequences (e.g., loss of job, family, status) if they’re “outed.” 

📌 5. Does having secret male partners mean someone is gay or bisexual?

Research suggests:

• Many men who have sex with men do identify as bisexual or gay — just not publicly. 
• Others may define themselves as straight, even while having sex with men. 
• Self‑identification doesn’t always match behavior. A man can have sex with other men without identifying gay or bisexual, and that’s a recognized phenomenon in sexuality research. 

So the short answer: some are bisexual, some may be closeted gay, and some may identify as heterosexual despite their behavior. Identity and attraction are separate from behavior.

📌 6. Psychological and relationship effects

Some studies indicate that concealment of same‑sex behavior can be associated with:

• Higher stress and worse mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety). 
• Relationship strain due to secrecy. 

However, these effects vary significantly depending on individual circumstances and support systems.

🧠 Summary

Question	What Research Says
Has research been done?	Yes — especially on MSMW and “down‑low” behaviors.
Why do they do it?	Stigma, social pressure, identity conflict, and personal reasons all play roles.
Are they really gay or bisexual?	Not necessarily; identity and behavior don’t always align. Some are bisexual, some may be closeted, some self‑identify heterosexual despite the behavior.

And here are two accessible summaries of the scientific research:

1. Academic studies on men in heterosexual relationships or identified as heterosexual who also have sex with men, and
2. How researchers differentiate between identity, attraction, and behaviour in sexual orientation.

📘 1. Research Summaries: Men in Relationships Who Also Have Sex With Men

🧠 Key Review of “Heterosexual‑Identified MSM” (H‑MSM)

There’s scholarly research specifically on heterosexually identified men who have sex with men (H‑MSM) — men who behave in ways that include sex with male partners but identify as straight and often hide this from female partners or others. 

Key points from this research:

• These men experience a mismatch between identity and behaviour: they identify as heterosexual while engaging in sex with men. 
• H‑MSM are distinct from openly gay or bisexual men — they sometimes see sex with men as purely physical rather than romantic. 
• Many H‑MSM engage in compartmentalization — keeping same‑sex activity separate from their primary relationships with women. 
• Some research suggests motives vary widely, including:
  • Physical pleasure or relief, separate from emotional or romantic attraction. 
  • Situational factors (e.g., availability in particular environments). 
  • Social stigma — fear of judgement, rejection, or loss of status if non‑heterosexual identity were disclosed. 
• H‑MSM can face mental health disparities like increased anxiety, stress, or depression linked to concealment and identity–behaviour discordance. 

👉 These findings come from systematic reviews of multiple studies across contexts, not isolated anecdotes. 

🩺 Public and Public Health Research: “Down‑Low” Men

Another area of research looks at what is popularly called “down‑low” (DL) — men (often culturally referenced in U.S. contexts) who:

• Present as straight,
• Engage in sex with other men,
• Do not disclose this to their female partners. 

Studies in this area (especially earlier research tied to HIV prevention) found:

• There is low alignment between self‑reported sexual identity and sexual behaviour — many men who identify as straight still report sex with men. 
• Some subgroups (e.g., men in minority communities) may be less likely to disclose same‑sex behaviour due to cultural or community pressures. 
• Sexual behaviour and identity don’t always match perfectly — many men engage in sex with men even if they don’t see that as a defining identity. 

Important: Most research emphasizes diversity and rejects the idea that all such men fit one fixed “type.” 

📙 2. How Researchers Think About Sexual Orientation

When scientists talk about people’s sexuality, they usually divide it into three separate components:

1. Sexual Behavior

Who someone has sex with.
Example: A man has sex with both women and men. 

2. Sexual Attraction

Who someone is drawn to, physically or erotically.
This doesn’t always match behavior — someone might feel attraction they never act on. (This concept underlies tools like the Kinsey Scale, which places orientation on a spectrum based on attraction and experience, not just identity.) 

3. Sexual Identity

How someone labels themselves — straight, gay, bisexual, etc.
This label might not always match their behavior or attractions. 

Researchers find that identity, attraction, and behaviour can all differ in the same person — for example:

• Someone may behave in same‑sex activity,
• Without feeling sustained same‑sex attraction,
• And still identify as heterosexual. 

That’s why terms like MSMW (men who have sex with men and women) are used in research — they focus on behaviour without assuming identity or attraction.

🧠 Why Do Some Men Not Adopt Gay or Bisexual Identity?

Researchers suggest several reasons, including:

• Social stigma and fear of discrimination, which makes people reluctant to identify as gay or bisexual. 
• Internalized norms about gender, sex, and masculinity that shape how men explain or categorize their experiences. 
• Cultural pressures, particularly in communities where homosexuality is heavily stigmatized. 

Many studies stress that identity labels are personal — some men reject gay/bisexual identities even if they have same‑sex behavior, and that’s an acknowledged phenomenon in sexuality research. 

📌 In Summary

Concept	Meaning	Research Insight
Sexual behavior	Who someone actually has sex with	Can include both men and women; doesn’t automatically define identity.
Sexual attraction	Who someone is drawn to	More continuous and complex than simple categories.
Sexual identity	What someone calls themselves	Often influenced by culture, stigma, and personal meaning.