What Drives the Gender Gap? An Analysis Using Sexual Orientation

Josef Montag

No 2014-43, MENDELU Working Papers in Business and Economics from Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics

Abstract: Gender differences in productivity, if any, that are unobserved to researchers may produce an omitted variable bias in gender gap studies. Finding a subpopulation with less acute differences in unobserved characteristics would allow this concern to be addressed. This paper argues that gays and lesbians are one such interesting group—for the intra-household division of labor and its effects on market productivity cannot be sex-determined in this subpopulation. Indeed, there are substantial intra-household variations in labor market outcomes and other characteristics; the patterns and magnitudes are similar to different-sex households. Simultaneously, the gender wage gap between gays and lesbians is much smaller than in the heterosexual population; in specifications that control for geographic location it is near zero. These findings suggest that the intra-household division of labor is an important factor driving gender differences in labor market outcomes. Such an interpretation is consistent with recent studies that control for productivity.

Keywords: gender gap; sexual division of labor; discrimination; specialization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D10 J16 J22 J24 J70 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39
Date: 2014-03
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Journal Article: What Drives the Gender Gap? An Analysis Using Sexual Orientation (2015)
Working Paper: What Drives the Gender Gap? An Analysis Using Sexual Orientation (2014)
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