T = Above-average task independence is associated with the occupationįigure 2.
S = Occupation requires above-average social perceptiveness Lawyers, and judges, magistrates, and other judicial workers (S, T) Physical therapists and exercise physiologists (S, T)ġ3.Ĝomputer and information systems managers (S, T)ġ4. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors (S)ġ2. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists (S, T)ġ1. Social and community service managers (S, T)ġ0. Training and development specialists and managers (S)ģ. Occupations with the Highest Joint Proportion of Gay and Lesbian WorkersĢ. In both tables, almost all occupations are associated with above-average task independence or social perceptiveness or both. Table 2 separately lists female-majority occupations (i.e., those in which more than 50 percent of all workers are women) and male-majority occupations (i.e., those in which more than 50 percent of all workers are men) with the highest proportion of gay workers and the highest proportion of lesbian workers. Table 1 lists occupations with the highest joint proportion of gay and lesbian workers. Consistent with our predictions, both gay men and lesbians tend to concentrate in occupations that provide task independence or require social perceptiveness, or both. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, collected in 2008-2009. We also tested our hypotheses on a second sample, the fourth wave of the U.S. One was the 2008-2010 American Community Survey (ACS), which provides a nationally representative sample of nearly five million people in the United States. To test our hypothesis, we analysed data from two datasets. In contrast, occupations that require social perceptiveness tend to involve interactions with customers, for example, patients, clients, or students. Task independence refers to limited dependence on coworkers and supervisors. In reality, these occupational characteristics are not necessarily at odds.
It might seem that task independence implies limiting social interactions, while a need for social perceptiveness implies an emphasis on social interactions. To the casual observer, these hypotheses may appear contradictory. Overall, our prediction is that gay and lesbian workers will tend to concentrate in occupations that provide a high degree of task independence or require a high level of social perceptiveness, or both. Thus we expected that gay men and lesbians would be more likely to be in jobs that require high levels of social perceptiveness (e.g., psychologists and teachers) rather than in ones where such a skill is less needed (e.g., laboratory scientists and actuarial analysts).
Since gay men and lesbians tend to experience the threat of discrimination from a young age, knowing how to read social cues might be an important acquired skill for these individuals. Our second prediction was about occupations that require a high level of social perceptiveness - that is, the accurate anticipation and reading of others’ reactions. Task independence at work makes it easier to conceal one’s sexual orientation and reduces the negative repercussions of “coming out.” So we predicted that gay men and lesbians would be more likely to work in occupations with higher task independence (e.g., massage therapists and fire safety inspectors) than in ones with lower task independence (e.g., construction workers and fire fighters). The first one was about task independence-the ability to perform one’s tasks without substantially depending on coworkers. To understand the occupational segregation of gay and lesbian workers, we examined two hypotheses. Occupational segregation matters because it can lead to inequality between workers and limit the talent pool for employers trying to fill a position. Where does this kind of occupational segregation come from? This question has puzzled social scientists for nearly a century, but it is not simply an academic problem. And there are real occupational patterns behind some popular stereotypes, from the gay flight attendant to the lesbian truck driver.
For example, both gay men and lesbians and are overrepresented in psychology, law, social work, and university teaching. There is an unusually high concentration of gay or lesbian workers in certain occupations.