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Home | Events | Matching on Gender and Sexual Orientation
Seminar

Matching on Gender and Sexual Orientation

  • Series
    Labor Seminars
  • Speaker(s)
    Edoardo Ciscato (KU Leuven, Belgium)
  • Field
    Empirical Microeconomics
  • Location
    Tinbergen Institute, room 1.01
    Amsterdam
  • Date and time

    November 11, 2025
    15:30 - 16:30

Abstract

We study the mating patterns of non-heterosexual individuals, who represent a significant and increasing portion of the population, particularly among the youth. We estimate a multidimensional matching model of the marriage market where partner's gender is endogenously chosen conditional on the agent's sexual orientation, and is subject to trade-offs that depend on both the agents' preferences and the pool of potential partners. We show that same-sex couples experience lower gains from live-in relationships, a "same-sex penalty". Absent this penalty, the share of same-sex couples in the U.S. would increase by about 50% (from 1.36% to 2.05% of all couples).

Link to paper.