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Sexual identity and wellbeing: A distributional analysis

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  • Mann, Samuel
  • Blackaby, David
  • O’Leary, Nigel

Abstract

The relationship between sexual identity and wellbeing is analysed in an unconditional panel quantile setting. There is heterogeneity across sexual identity and gender for homosexuals and, for all but lesbians, sexual minorities are less satisfied than heterosexuals below the median of the wellbeing distribution. Meanwhile, bisexuals of any gender are the least satisfied of any sexual group, and this is apparent across the entire wellbeing distribution. In contrast, the happiest individuals who report an ‘other’ sexual orientation are happier than the happiest heterosexuals.

Suggested Citation

  • Mann, Samuel & Blackaby, David & O’Leary, Nigel, 2019. "Sexual identity and wellbeing: A distributional analysis," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 133-136.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:181:y:2019:i:c:p:133-136
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2019.04.023
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Cevat G. Aksoy & Christopher S. Carpenter & Jeff Frank, 2018. "Sexual Orientation and Earnings: New Evidence from the United Kingdom," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 71(1), pages 242-272, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sean Urwin & Thomas Mason & William Whittaker, 2021. "Do different means of recording sexual orientation affect its relationship with health and wellbeing?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(12), pages 3106-3122, December.
    2. Michael E. Martell & Leanne Roncolato, 2023. "Economic Vulnerability of Sexual Minorities: Evidence from the US Household Pulse Survey," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(2), pages 1-74, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Subjective wellbeing; Sexual orientation; Jittering; Recentred influence function; Quantile regression; Correlated random effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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