Is it my sexual orientation? LGBTQ Employment Experiences

• In Event: 511 - Section on Organizations, Occupations, and Work Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 05. Factors Shaping Employment Outcomes

Abstract

There is a growing international literature on the economic lives of non-heterosexuals. To date, much research has relied on population-based surveys and, more recently audit studies, to measure wage inequality and the prevalence of employment discrimination against the LGBTQ community. Far less is known on what it means to be LGBTQ in the workplace and how sexual orientation and gender expression can shape an individual’s workplace experiences. Drawing from 50 semi-structured interviews with self-identified LGBTQ Canadians we explore how sexual orientation and gender expression factor into human capital acquisition, occupational choice and experiences at work. These findings provide insight into the possible mechanisms driving differences in employment outcomes for members of the LGBTQ community.

Authors

• Nicole Genevieve Denier, Colby College

• Sean Waite, McGill University