Sexual Orientation and Earnings in Japan: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey

• In Event: 50661 - Section on Sociology of Sexualities Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 4: Social Contexts, Socio-Sexual Stories

Abstract

Previous studies on sexual orientation and earnings show that lesbians earn more than heterosexual women, while gay men earn less than heterosexual men. However, most of these studies come from Western countries, and research on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in non-Western countries has received limited scholarly attention. Using the 2023 National SOGI Survey, the first nationally representative survey in Japan to include SOGI questions, this paper examines the association between sexual orientation and earnings in Japan, an East Asian society with a distinct legal, religious, and cultural context regarding sexual minorities compared to Western societies. Contrary to findings from Western countries, the preliminary analysis suggests a possible earnings disadvantage for sexual minority women and a possible earnings advantage for sexual minority men. Overall, this study emphasizes the significance of national contexts in understanding earnings disparities based on sexual orientation.

Author

• Daiki Hiramori, Hosei University