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Career Lesbians: Getting Hired for Not Having Kids?

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  • Baert, Stijn

    (Ghent University)

Abstract

Using a field experiment, we investigate whether discrimination based on women's sexual orientation differs by age and family constraints. We find weakly significant evidence of discrimination against young heterosexual women. This effect is driven by age (and fertility) rather than by motherhood. We do not find any unequal treatment at older ages. This age effect is consistent with our theoretical expectation that, relative to lesbian women, young heterosexual women are penalised for getting children more frequently and taking on, on average, more at-home-caring tasks.

Suggested Citation

  • Baert, Stijn, 2013. "Career Lesbians: Getting Hired for Not Having Kids?," IZA Discussion Papers 7767, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7767
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    motherhood; sexual orientation; labour market discrimination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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