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Gay men ‘earn £1,500 a year less than straight men’ on average

Meanwhile, lesbian and bi women were found to earn 7.1% more than heterosexual women.

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Pexels

Gay and bisexual men in the UK earn 5% less than their heterosexual counterparts in the world of work, a new study has found. 

This roughly equates to £1,500, according to Metro.

The findings further indicate that, across Europe, North America, and Australia, gay men earn on average 6.8% less than straight men. This rises to 10.3% for bisexual men.

“Workplace bias”

Published earlier this month by the Journal of Population Economics, the study also found that lesbian and bi women earn 7.1% more than heterosexual women. The research from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge looked at 24 studies of wage gaps from 2012-2020.

Paper author and economist Nick Drydakis of Anglia Ruskin commented (as per the Daily Mail): “The persistence of earnings penalties for gay men and bisexual men and women in the face of anti-discrimination policies represents a cause for concern.

“Legislation and workplace guidelines should guarantee that people receive the same pay and not experience any form of workplace bias simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity status.

“Inclusive policies should embrace diversity by encouraging under-represented groups to apply for jobs or promotions and providing support to LGBTIQ+ employees to raise concerns and receive fair treatment.

“Standing against discrimination and celebrating and supporting LGBTIQ+ diversity should form a part of HR policies.”

According to the same outlet, the average annual salary for UK men is £33,900 and £27,900 for women.

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