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Does the gender composition in couples matter for the division of labor after childbirth?

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  • Moberg, Ylva

    (Department of Economics)

Abstract

In this paper I compare the effect of entering parenthood on the spousal income gaps in lesbian and heterosexual couples using Swedish population wide register data. Comparing couples with similar pre-childbirth income gaps, a difference-in-differences strategy is used to estimate the impact of the gender composition of the couple on the spousal income gap after childbirth. The results indicate that the gender composition of the couple does matter for the division of labor after having children. Five years after childbirth the income gap is smaller in lesbian than in heterosexual couples also when comparing couples with the same pre-parenthood income gap. Heterosexual couples’ division of labor seems to be influenced by traditional gender norms, regardless of their pre-childbirth income gap. In lesbian couples the partners’ relative earnings before parenthood and a principle about fairness may be more important, as well as the partners’ preferences for giving birth as the birth giving partner typically spends more time on parental leave.

Suggested Citation

  • Moberg, Ylva, 2016. "Does the gender composition in couples matter for the division of labor after childbirth?," Working Paper Series 2016:8, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:uunewp:2016_008
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    Cited by:

    1. Emily Nix & Martin Eckhoff Andresen, 2019. "What Causes the Child Penalty? Evidence from Same Sex Couples and Policy Reforms," Discussion Papers 902, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    2. Moberg, Ylva & van der Vleuten , Maaike, 2022. "Mothers’ birth giving status and the division of parental leave. A comparison of adoptive and biological parents," Working Paper Series 2022:18, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    3. Charlotte H. Feldhoff, 2021. "The Child Penalty: Implications of Parenthood on Labour Market Outcomes for Men and Women in Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1120, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Johannes Koeckeis, 2022. "Intra-household inequality and tax planning of same-sex couples," GRAPE Working Papers 73, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    5. Maryam Dilmaghani, 2019. "Sexual orientation and the ‘cohabitation gap’ in life satisfaction in Canada," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1163-1189, December.
    6. Simon Rabaté & Sara Rellstab, 2022. "What Determines the Child Penalty in the Netherlands? The Role of Policy and Norms," De Economist, Springer, vol. 170(2), pages 195-229, May.
    7. Simon Rabaté & Externe auteur: Sara Rellstab, 2021. "The Child Penalty in the Netherlands and its Determinants," CPB Discussion Paper 424, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economics of gender; division of labor; labor supply; same-sex couples; transition to parenthood;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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