IDENTITY MANAGEMENT: WORKER INDEPENDENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAY MEN. (23rd May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martell, Michael E.
• Is Part Of: Contemporary economic policy. Volume 36:Number 1(2018:Jan.)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 148
• Publication Date: 2017-05-23
• Subjects: Economic policy -- Periodicals; United States -- Economic policy -- 1993-2001 -- Periodicals; United States -- Economic policy -- 2001- -- Periodicals; 338.9005
• DOI: 10.1111/coep.12233
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1074-3529

Abstract

Abstract : I build on a growing literature documenting wage differentials for gay men by showing that the wage differential gay men experience varies significantly across occupations with different levels of worker independence. The penalty is smallest in management and professional occupations, which involve a high level of worker independence. It is largest in service occupations, which include a lower level of independence. This distribution of earnings penalties is consistent with discrimination being the source of the gay wage penalty. The results support the conjecture that higher levels of independence allow gay men to more successfully manage the disclosure of sexual orientation and mediate the negative effects of discrimination. ( JEL J3, J7, J15)