Major life events, such as marriage, children and separation, generate and amplify gender differences in earnings trajectories. Explanations for these inequalities are often based on differences between men and women, but how do these events affect (in)equalities in same-sex couples? By comparing earnings trajectories of male and female same-sex couples to different-sex couples, this research identifies the true impact of gender on earnings inequalities across major life transitions. Moreover, this project addresses crucial knowledge gaps by shedding light on the organization of work and family life across the life course for a group that is becoming increasingly visible yet often overlooked in quantitative research: male and female same-sex couples.
With unique access to population register data from the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (1990-2017), this project uses the largest, longitudinal, cross-national source of information on SSC to date. This project will therefore be the first to study how life course events shape (in)equalities in work and family lives of male and female SSC across countries.
