Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Europe: homosexuality and physical appearance

Eleonora Patacchini; Giuseppe Ragusa; Yves Zenou

doi:10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9

Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Europe: homosexuality and physical appearance

Eleonora Patacchini
, Giuseppe Ragusa
, Yves Zenou

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

69 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We study labor-market discrimination of individuals with “specific” characteristics in Italy. We conduct a field experiment in two Italian cities: Rome and Milan, by sending “fake” CVs to real ads. We find that there is a strong penalty for homosexuals, i.e., about 30 % less chance to be called back compared to a heterosexual male and even more so if they are highly skilled. On the other hand, we find no penalty for homosexual females. We also find a beauty premium for females only but this premium is much lower when the “pretty” woman is skilled.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1045-1073
Number of pages	29
Journal	Journal of Population Economics
Volume	28
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9
Publication status	Published - Oct 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Discrimination
Field experiment
Gays
Lesbians

Access to Document

10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9

Cite this

@article{c3941d181b83406f8d343e5b726042d7,

title = "Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Europe: homosexuality and physical appearance",

abstract = "We study labor-market discrimination of individuals with “specific” characteristics in Italy. We conduct a field experiment in two Italian cities: Rome and Milan, by sending “fake” CVs to real ads. We find that there is a strong penalty for homosexuals, i.e., about 30 \% less chance to be called back compared to a heterosexual male and even more so if they are highly skilled. On the other hand, we find no penalty for homosexual females. We also find a beauty premium for females only but this premium is much lower when the “pretty” woman is skilled.",

keywords = "Discrimination, Field experiment, Gays, Lesbians",

author = "Eleonora Patacchini and Giuseppe Ragusa and Yves Zenou",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.",

year = "2015",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "1045--1073",

journal = "Journal of Population Economics",

issn = "0933-1433",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Europe

T2 - homosexuality and physical appearance

AU - Patacchini, Eleonora

AU - Ragusa, Giuseppe

AU - Zenou, Yves

PY - 2015/10

Y1 - 2015/10

N2 - We study labor-market discrimination of individuals with “specific” characteristics in Italy. We conduct a field experiment in two Italian cities: Rome and Milan, by sending “fake” CVs to real ads. We find that there is a strong penalty for homosexuals, i.e., about 30 % less chance to be called back compared to a heterosexual male and even more so if they are highly skilled. On the other hand, we find no penalty for homosexual females. We also find a beauty premium for females only but this premium is much lower when the “pretty” woman is skilled.

AB - We study labor-market discrimination of individuals with “specific” characteristics in Italy. We conduct a field experiment in two Italian cities: Rome and Milan, by sending “fake” CVs to real ads. We find that there is a strong penalty for homosexuals, i.e., about 30 % less chance to be called back compared to a heterosexual male and even more so if they are highly skilled. On the other hand, we find no penalty for homosexual females. We also find a beauty premium for females only but this premium is much lower when the “pretty” woman is skilled.

KW - Discrimination

KW - Field experiment

KW - Gays

KW - Lesbians

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85110460486

U2 - 10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9

DO - 10.1007/s00148-014-0533-9

M3 - Article

SN - 0933-1433

VL - 28

SP - 1045

EP - 1073

JO - Journal of Population Economics

JF - Journal of Population Economics

IS - 4

ER -

Unexplored dimensions of discrimination in Europe: homosexuality and physical appearance

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this