Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/245760 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 14709
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We examine time allocation decisions in same-sex and different-sex couples from a Beckerian comparative advantage perspective. In particular, we estimate the comparative advantage relationship between time spent on either market or household activities and a dummy for being the highest earner in a couple on samples of same-sex and different-sex couples. Using the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), we find that same-sex couples specialize not as much as different-sex couples. We argue that these specialization differences are driven by the most traditional different-sex couples. Without married couples with wives at home taking care of children and husbands working outside the home, which represent at most 20 percent of all different-sex couples, we find that the highest earner in a couple spends 80 minutes more per day on market work and 40 minutes less per day on household work, regardless their sexual orientation. We therefore conclude that, from a comparative advantage perspective, most same-sex and different-sex couples specialize equally.
Subjects: 
time allocation
household work
market work
same-sex couples
different-sex couples
comparative advantage
JEL: 
D13
J15
J22
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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