The Economic Consequences of Separation for Women in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples.

Maaike van der Vleuten , Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Research (NIDI) / Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI)
Matthijs Kalmijn, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Research Institute NIDI/University of Groningen

We know that women in different-sex couples experience larger economic consequences of separation than men. This is often attributed to women’s larger share of household and childcare responsibilities during their relationship. However, plenty of research has shown that women in female same-sex couples divide their paid work and care much more equal, but does this also translate into smaller economic consequences of separation? This study is the first to compare the economic consequences of separation for women in female same-sex couples to women in different-sex couples, and pays specific attention to the role of parenthood. This answers to what extent being married to a man or a woman, giving birth, or earnings differences before separation contribute to larger economic consequences after separation. Using random-effects models, we analyze longitudinal Finnish register data (1999-2019) including 965 women in same-sex couples and 58,254 women in in different-sex couples who experience separation for the first time. Preliminary results show larger reductions in equivalized income for women in different-sex couples than for women in same-sex couples, but no difference in how fast they recover in the years after separation. Differences in income reductions between same-sex couples and different-sex couples seem to be explained by differences in earnings before separation. Moreover, income losses are larger for birthmothers compared to non-birth mothers, and lower when same-sex couples take turns giving birth. Overall, earnings differences and giving generate larger economic consequences of separation.

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 Presented in Session 79. Till Death (or Divorce) do us Part