Teenage Sexual Orientation, Adult Openness, and Status Attainment in Gay Males

Abstract

Research on the effects of sexual orientation on gay male status attainment has been hampered by the use of opportunistic samples and by the inability to control for family background and sexual orientation characteristics. This research uses data from the Urban Men's Health Study, a multicity probability sample, to examine the status attainment process among men who identify as gay or bisexual (N = 2,290). Logistic regression is used to measure the effects of teen sexual orientation and adult expression of sexual orientation on educational achievement and household income. Early decision that one is gay and early homosexual activity are related to reduced educational achievement. Teen sexual orientation and adult expression of sexual orientation are not directly related to income, though education was. These findings suggest that the costs of discrimination encountered early in life are an important component of the reduced status attainment of gay males.