Sexual orientation stereotypes and job candidate screening: why gay is (mostly) OK

Philippe Sterkens (), Axana Dalle (), Joey Wuyts (), Ines Pauwels (), Hellen Durinck () and Stijn Baert
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Philippe Sterkens: Ghent University
Axana Dalle: Ghent University
Joey Wuyts: Ghent University
Ines Pauwels: Ghent University
Hellen Durinck: Ghent University

Journal of Population Economics, 2025, vol. 38, issue 1, No 16, 40 pages

Abstract: Abstract To explain the conflicting findings on hiring discrimination against applicants in a same-sex marriage, we explore the perceptual drivers behind employers’ evaluations. Therefore, we conduct a vignette experiment among recruiters, for which we test systematically selected stereotypes from earlier studies. We find causal evidence for distinct effects of same-sex marriage on candidate perceptions and interview probabilities. In particular, interview probabilities are positively (negatively) associated with the stereotype of women (men) married to a same-sex partner as being more (less) pleasant to work with compared to candidates in a different-sex marriage. In addition, interview chances are negatively associated with the stereotype of candidates in a same-sex marriage as being more outspoken. Furthermore, our data align well with the idea of a concentrated discrimination account, whereby a minority of employers who hold negative attitudes towards individuals in same-sex marriages are responsible for most instances of hiring discrimination.

Keywords: Sexual orientation; Signalling theory; Statistical discrimination; Taste-based discrimination; Hiring experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C38 J12 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-025-01071-w

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