Discrimination Against Gay and Transgender People in Latin America: A Correspondence Study in the Rental Housing Marke

Abstract

We assess the extent of discrimination against gay and transgender individuals in the rental housing markets of four Latin American countries. We conducted a large-scale field experiment building on the correspondence study methodology to examine interactions between property managers and fictitious couples engaged in searches on a major online rental housing platform. We find evidence of discriminatory behavior against heterosexual couples where the female partner is a transgender woman (trans couples): they receive 19% fewer responses, 27% fewer positive responses, and 23% fewer invitations to showings than heterosexual couples. However, we find no evidence of discrimination against gay male couples. We also assess whether the evidence is consistent with taste-based discrimination or statistical discrimination models by comparing response rates when couples signal high socioeconomic status (high SES). While we find no significant effect of the signal on call-back rates or the type of response for high-SES heterosexual or gay male couples, trans couples benefit when they signal high SES. Their call-back, positive-response, and invitation rates increase by 25%, 36% and 29%, respectively. These results suggest the presence of discrimination against trans couples in the Latin American online rental housing market, which seems consistent with statistical discrimination. Moreover, we find no evidence of heterosexual couples being favored over gay male couples, nor evidence of statistical discrimination for gay male or heterosexual couples.

Gender Identity-, Race-, and Ethnicity-Based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care

“…Our study makes important contributions to several literatures and policy topics. First, we conduct the first audit field experiment of gender identity discrimination in the U.S. health care system, and we are one of the few audit studies that tests for gender identity discrimination in any context (Abbate et al 2022;Bardales 2013;Granberg, Andersson, and Ahmed 2020;Jansson 3 Disclosing trans status and inquiring about LGBTQ+-friendly providers is a common and recommended practice for TNB individuals seeking mental health services (Kassel 2018;Voutilainen et. al.…”

LGBTQ Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean: What Does the Evidence Say about Their Situation?

“…Correspondence research outcomes for four countries in the region lean in this direction. [26] The study consisted of sending personalized scripts to property managers, varying the type of couple (heterosexual, gay, and transgender) and socioeconomic status. The results revealed discriminatory behavior against heterosexual couples in which the female partner was transgender, resulting in a 19% lower response rate, with 27% fewer positive responses and 23% fewer invitations to view the property than for heterosexual couples composed of cisgender individuals.…”

Gender Identity, Race, and Ethnicity-based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care: Evidence from an Audit Correspondence Field Experiment.

“…Our study makes important contributions to several literatures and policy topics. First, we conduct the first audit field experiment of gender identity discrimination in the U.S. health care system, and we are one of the few audit studies that tests for gender identity discrimination in any context (Abbate et al 2022;Bardales 2013;Granberg, Andersson, and Ahmed 2020;Jansson and Fritzson 2022;Rainey, Imse, and Pomerantz 2015;Levy at al. 2017).…”