Sexual orientation, work, and income in Canada

Christopher S. Carpenter

Canadian Journal of Economics, 2008, vol. 41, issue 4, pages 1239-1261

Abstract: We provide the first evidence on sexual orientation and economic outcomes in Canada using confidential data that ask adults a direct question about their sexual orientation. Gay men have 12% lower personal incomes and lesbians have 15% higher personal incomes than otherwise similar heterosexual men and women, respectively. Different labour force patterns can account for some of the income differentials. We also document large differences in educational attainment, childrearing, and urbanicity that generally mirror patterns found in the US. Finally, we show that applying couples-based approaches common in this literature greatly overstates the magnitudes of gay/straight income gaps.

JEL-codes: J1 J7 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008

Downloads: (external link)
http://economics.ca/cgi/xms?jab=v41n4/CJEv41n4p1239.pdf Full text (application/pdf)
Available to subscribers only. Alternative access through JSTOR and Ingenta.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cje:issued:v:41:y:2008:i:4:p:1239-1261

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://economics.ca/en/membership.php

Access Statistics for this article

Canadian Journal of Economics is edited by David Green

More articles in Canadian Journal of Economics from Canadian Economics Association
Address: Canadian Economics Association Prof. Steven Ambler, Secretary-Treasurer c/o Olivier Lebert, CEA/CJE/CPP Office C.P. 35006, 1221 Fleury Est Montréal, Québec, Canada H2C 3K4
Contact information at EDIRC.
Series data maintained by Prof. Werner Antweiler ().