Data and discrimination: A research note on sexual orientation in the Canadian labour market

Growing interest in the labour market outcomes of sexual minorities presents novel methodological and theoretical challenges. In this note, we outline important challenges in the study of wage inequality between sexual minorities and heterosexuals in Canada. We discuss the current state of available data on sexual orientation and economic outcomes in Canada, and further evaluate how estimates of sexual orientation wage gaps differ across earnings definition and sample composition. Our analysis of the 2006 Census shows considerable heterogeneity in point estimates of wage disadvantage across definitions of earnings and sample selections; however, all estimates show that gay men suffer labour market penalties and lesbians experience wage premiums.