Self-employment, earnings, and sexual orientation

Abstract

Although many studies document differences by sexual orientation in earnings and other labor-market outcomes, little is known about differences in self-employment. Our study contributes to both the self-employment literature and sexual-orientation literature by analyzing differences in self-employment rates and earnings by sexual orientation. Gay men are less likely to be self-employed than married men, whereas lesbians are equally likely to be self-employed as married women. We find that gay men earn less than married men. We do find, however, that for those gay men who are self-employed, there is little evidence of a further earnings penalty, at least among full-time workers. Lesbians earn at least as much as married women but receive no further earnings premium -or penalty -by being selfemployed, again among full-time workers.JEL codes: J3, J7.

Sexual orientation and earnings: a meta-analysis 2012–2020

“…Studies in meta-analysis: Ahmed et al, (2013, Aksoy at el. (2018), Bridges and Mann (2019), Bryson (2017), Carpenter and Eppink (2017), Cerf (2016), Chai andMaroto (2020), Dilmaghani (2018), Drydakis (2012), Hammarstedt et al (2015), Humpert (2016), Jepsen and Jepsen (2017), Jepsen andJepsen (2020), La Nauze (2015), Laurent and Mihoubi (2012), Martell (2013), Mize (2016), Preston et al, (2020), Sabia (2014), Sabia (2015), Sabia et al (2017), Waite (2015), Waite et al (2020), Wang et al (2018) 2010 (i.e., 2011-2014); 0= In all the other cases, that is, data sets covering periods before 2010 (i.e., 1991-2000), and/or data sets covering simultaneous periods before and after 2010 (i.e., 2008-2012 period 1991. Studies in meta-analysis: Ahmed et al, (2013, Aksoy at el.…”

“…Studies in meta-analysis: Ahmed et al, (2013, Aksoy at el. (2018), Bridges and Mann (2019), Bryson (2017), Carpenter and Eppink (2017), Cerf (2016), Chai andMaroto (2020), Dilmaghani (2018), Drydakis (2012), Hammarstedt et al (2015), Humpert (2016), Jepsen and Jepsen (2017), Jepsen and Jepsen (2020), La Nauze (2015), Laurent and Mihoubi (2012), Martell (2013), Mize (2016), Preston et al, (2020), Sabia (2014), Sabia (2015), Sabia et al (2017), Waite (2015), Waite et al (2020), Wang et al (2018).…”

Does It Get Better? Recent Estimates of Sexual Orientation and Earnings in the United States

“…Most of these studies find that gay men in the United States have lower employment rates than comparable heterosexual men while lesbians have higher employment rates than comparable heterosexual women. Among full‐time workers, most studies find that gay men earn less than otherwise similar heterosexual men, while lesbians earn more than otherwise similar heterosexual women (see, for example: Badgett ; Klawitter and Flatt ; Allegretto and Arthur ; Black et al ; Antecol, Jong, and Steinberger, ; Jepsen and Jepsen ; and Klawitter ).…”

Sexual Orientation, Religiosity, and Subjective Wellbeing in Canada

“…Gay men and lesbians cluster in high amenity cities, partly as a result of their fewer children (Black et al, 2002) and partly to avoid unfriendly neighbourhoods (Gates and Ost, 2004;Spring, 2013). Partnered gay men are less likely than their heterosexual counterparts to be self-employed, while the reverse is true for partnered lesbians (Jepsen and Jepsen, 2016;Waite and Denier, 2016). Since the analysis uses five cycles of the GSS, real incomes are calculated using the Canadian Consumer Price Index (Statistics Canada, 2018), setting 2014 as the base year.…”