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Sexual Orientation, Legal Partnerships and Wages in Britain

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Bridges

    (University of Nottingham, UK)

  • Samuel Mann

    (Swansea University, UK; Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods, UK)

Abstract

This article uses data from the Labour Force Survey to examine the effect sexual orientation has on wages in Britain. In doing so it provides the first empirical investigation of the effect being in a same-sex legal partnership has on wages. The results show that gay cohabitees and lesbians face a wage premium compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Decomposition results show that for gay cohabitees this arises due to differences in observable characteristics, while lesbians not only earn significantly more due to differences in their observable characteristics, but they also receive a higher return for these characteristics. In contrast, although no significant difference in earnings is observed for men in a legal partnership, decomposition results suggest that legally partnered gay males should earn more due to differences in their observable characteristics, while there is also evidence that they face barriers to advancement to senior positions, or a glass ceiling.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Bridges & Samuel Mann, 2019. "Sexual Orientation, Legal Partnerships and Wages in Britain," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(6), pages 1020-1038, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:33:y:2019:i:6:p:1020-1038
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017019873265
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tampellini, João, 2024. "Latin American pride: Labor market outcomes of sexual minorities in Brazil," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    2. Lisa de Vries & Stephanie Steinmetz, 2024. "Sexual Orientation, Workplace Authority and Occupational Segregation: Evidence from Germany," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 38(3), pages 852-870, June.
    3. Drydakis, Nick, 2021. "The Economics of Being LGBT. A Review: 2015-2020," IZA Discussion Papers 14845, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Nick Drydakis, 2022. "Sexual orientation and earnings: a meta-analysis 2012–2020," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(2), pages 409-440, April.
    5. Samuel Mann & Nigel O’Leary & David Blackaby, 2022. "Sexual orientation, political trust, and same-sex relationship recognition policies: evidence from Europe," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 192(3), pages 331-355, September.
    6. Michael Vallely & Jeanette Findlay & Kristinn Hermannsson, 2023. "Is the social origin pay gap bigger than we thought? Identifying and acknowledging workers with undefined social origins in survey data," Working Papers 2023_06, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow.

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