Gay Money: Not In The Pink

Earning differences are a consistent problem for many employees with a minority sexual orientation and present one of the most tangible environmental factors affecting their workplace well-being. Studies for the period 1989–2014 suggest that gay men receive lower earnings than heterosexual men of comparable education, skills, and experience [1], [2]. Any remaining earning gaps between gay and heterosexual men not explained by differences in education level, work experience, and occupation are generally interpreted as evidence of labor market discrimination [1], [2], [3]. Studies find that gay men earn from 4–5% less than heterosexual men in the Netherlands, France, Greece, and the UK to 12–16% less in Canada, Sweden, and the US [1], [2], [3] (Figure 1).

Sexual orientation and labor market outcomes, Nick Drydakis, IZA World of Labor report. *

Although this may surprise many regular readers of the gay media  - the main peddlers of the myth of gay affluence ('Advertise with us, our readers are loaded!' etc) - the real research (all 600 pages worth) was presented several years ago on Joe Clark's excellent blog; Gay Money: The Truth About Lesbian And Gay Economics.

[Actually the main reason this myth persists is so many gay journalists are literally incapable of questioning anything they read on a press release].

The straight media are just as guilty, if not more, of unquestioningly regurgitating junk 'research' and made-up statistics on this. Far too many to list - but Google 'pink pound'.

All gay surveys are as unreliable and as unquantifiable as a promised Grindr user's dick size.

Fact!

* The conclusions drawn by Drydakis about why gay men earn less are often exercises in spectacular point-missing, and at once both simplistic and convoluted.