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Matching on Gender and Sexual Orientation

Author

Listed:
  • Ciscato, Edoardo

    (KU Leuven)

  • Goussé, Marion

    (CREST)

Abstract

We study the mating patterns of non-heterosexual individuals, who represent a significant and increasing portion of the population, particularly among the youth. We estimate a multidimensional matching model of the marriage market where partner's gender is endogenously chosen conditional on the agent's sexual orientation, and is subject to trade-offs that depend on both the agents' preferences and the pool of potential partners. We show that same-sex couples experience lower gains from live-in relationships, a "same-sex penalty". Absent this penalty, the share of same-sex couples in the U.S. would increase by about 50% (from 1.36% to 2.05% of all couples).

Suggested Citation

  • Ciscato, Edoardo & Goussé, Marion, 2024. "Matching on Gender and Sexual Orientation," IZA Discussion Papers 17420, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alfred Galichon & Scott Duke Kominers & Simon Weber, 2019. "Costly Concessions: An Empirical Framework for Matching with Imperfectly Transferable Utility," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(6), pages 2875-2925.
    2. Guner, Nezih & Caucutt, Elizabeth & Rauh, Christopher, 2018. "Is Marriage for White People? Incarceration, Unemployment, and the Racial Marriage Divide," CEPR Discussion Papers 13275, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/361levbcs399s9oa154em6h9jl is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Pierre-André Chiappori & Alfred Galichon & Bernard Salanié, 2019. "On Human Capital and Team Stability," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(2), pages 236-259.
    5. Oreffice, Sonia, 2016. "Sexual Orientation and Marriage/Orientación sexual y Matrimonio," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 34, pages 7-34, Enero.
    6. Baranov, Victoria & de Haas, Ralph & Grosjean, Pauline, 2018. "Men. Roots and Consequences of Masculinity Norms," Other publications TiSEM 6fa57f55-71bb-42c4-8cc4-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Edoardo Ciscato & Alfred Galichon & Marion Goussé, 2020. "Like Attract Like? A Structural Comparison of Homogamy across Same-Sex and Different-Sex Households," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(2), pages 740-781.
    8. Pierre-André Chiappori & Bernard Salanié & Yoram Weiss, 2017. "Partner Choice, Investment in Children, and the Marital College Premium," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(8), pages 2109-2167, August.
    9. Chen, Shuai & van Ours, Jan C., 2020. "Symbolism matters: The effect of same-sex marriage legalization on partnership stability," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 44-58.
    10. Pierre-André Chiappori & Murat Iyigun & Yoram Weiss, 2009. "Investment in Schooling and the Marriage Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(5), pages 1689-1713, December.
    11. Pierre-André Chiappori & Sonia Oreffice & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2020. "Erratum: Fatter Attraction: Anthropometric and Socioeconomic Matching on the Marriage Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(12), pages 4673-4675.
    12. Eugene Choo & Aloysius Siow, 2006. "Who Marries Whom and Why," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 114(1), pages 175-201, February.
    13. Arnaud Dupuy & Alfred Galichon, 2014. "Personality Traits and the Marriage Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 122(6), pages 1271-1319.
    14. Mary Eschelbach Hansen & Michael E. Martell & Leanne Roncolato, 2020. "A labor of love: The impact of same-sex marriage on labor supply," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 265-283, June.
    15. Brodeur, Abel & Haddad, Joanne, 2021. "Institutions, attitudes and LGBT: Evidence from the gold rush," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 92-110.
    16. Roland G. Fryer Jr., 2007. "Guess Who's Been Coming to Dinner? Trends in Interracial Marriage over the 20th Century," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(2), pages 71-90, Spring.
    17. Sansone, Dario, 2019. "Pink work: Same-sex marriage, employment and discrimination," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Parakhonyak, Alexei & Popov, Sergey V., 2025. "Same-sex marriage, the great equalizer," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    2. Chihiro Inoue & Yusuke Ishihata & Suguru Otani, 2026. "Marital Sorting on Pre-Marital Preferences for Household Behavior," Papers 2603.25372, arXiv.org, revised May 2026.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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