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. 2020 Nov 18;15(11):e0241596.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241596. eCollection 2020.

Turing's children: Representation of sexual minorities in STEM

Dario Sansone  1 , Christopher S Carpenter  2
Affiliations

Turing's children: Representation of sexual minorities in STEM

Dario Sansone et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

We provide nationally representative estimates of sexual minority representation in STEM fields by studying 142,641 men and women in same-sex couples from the 2009-2018 American Community Surveys. These data indicate that men in same-sex couples are 12 percentage points less likely to have completed a bachelor's degree in a STEM field compared to men in different-sex couples. On the other hand, there is no gap observed for women in same-sex couples compared to women in different-sex couples. The STEM degree gap between men in same-sex and different-sex couples is larger than the STEM degree gap between all white and black men but is smaller than the gender gap in STEM degrees. We also document a smaller but statistically significant gap in STEM occupations between men in same-sex and different-sex couples, and we replicate this finding by comparing heterosexual and gay men using independently drawn data from the 2013-2018 National Health Interview Surveys. These differences persist after controlling for demographic characteristics, location, and fertility. Finally, we document that gay male representation in STEM fields (measured using either degrees or occupations) is systematically and positively associated with female representation in those same STEM fields.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. STEM degree and STEM occupation gaps between individuals in same-sex couples and different-sex couples (ACS 2009–2018).
Panel A. STEM degree. Panel B. STEM occupation. The number above each bar is the gap between the share of male/female graduates/workers in same-sex couples vs. in different-sex couples in STEM degrees/occupations. Weighed statistics using person weights. See also Data and Methodology, as well as Table 1. All variables are defined in detail in the SI. Source: ACS 2009–2018. * p < 0.10, ** p < 0.05, *** p < 0.01.
Fig 2
Fig 2. STEM occupation gaps by sexual orientation (NHIS 2013–2018).
The number above each bar is the gap with respect to the share of straight male/female workers in STEM occupations. Weighed statistics using person weights and accounting for survey design. See also Data and Methodology, as well as Table 2. All variables are defined in detail in the SI. Source: NHIS 2013–2018. * p < 0.10, ** p < 0.05, *** p < 0.01.
Fig 3
Fig 3. There is a positive association between share of coupled men in same-sex couples and share women in STEM degrees and STEM occupations (ACS 2009–2018).
Panel A. STEM degrees. Panel B. STEM occupations. The vertical axis measures the share of men in same-sex couples over all coupled men in each field/occupation. Overall, 1.24% of men in a couple are in a same-sex couple. The horizontal axis measures the share of women (of any marital status and relation to the household head, age 18–65, sex not imputed) over all individuals in each field/occupation. Weighed shares using person weights. See also Data and Methodology. Only STEM fields/occupations reported. The dashed line plots the linear fit. Source: ACS 2009–2018.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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