Yes economists study this too:
We use the workplace experiences of transgender people – individuals
who change their gender typically with hormone therapy and surgery – to
provide new insights into the long-standing question of what role
gender plays in shaping workplace outcomes. Using an original survey of
male-to-female and female-to-male transgender people, we document the
earnings and employment experiences of transgender people before and
after their gender transitions. We find that while transgender people
have the same human capital after their transitions, their workplace
experiences often change radically. We estimate that average earnings
for female-to-male transgender workers increase slightly following
their gender transitions, while average earnings for male-to-female
transgender workers fall by nearly 1/3. This finding is consistent with
qualitative evidence that for many male-to-female workers, becoming a
woman often brings a loss of authority, harassment, and termination,
but that for many female-to-male workers, becoming a man often brings
an increase in respect and authority. These findings challenge the
omitted variables explanations for the gender pay gap and illustrate
the often hidden and subtle processes that produce gender inequality in
workplace outcomes.
Here is the article. I’m not so sure this solves the identification problem, since it ends up looking at atypical individuals (those who switch to female may not be the same personality types as those who switch to male). But, on this topic, what do I know?
I thank Zuzanna for the pointer.
In Thailand, the results may be the opposite.
It may not solve the identification problem, but just look at the preponderance of the evidence. I’d say we’d have to inside a higher P value to the possibility of widespread discrimination being a major factor in the gender gap.
One of the limitations of this research that I did not find mentioned in the full article was the fact that MTF/FTM workers might have stayed at their previous jobs/positions after their gender change. If this is the case, then their employers/colleagues would have interacted with them with the knowledge that they are MTF/FTM as opposed to non-transgender males and females. In essence, this independent variable ambiguity weakens the conclusions of the research.
Dennis Shiraev,
I would expect discrimination against the transgendered to swamp discrimination against women, so I think it’s a pity that they don’t address that, but to hold that and get these results, you’d need to believe that MTF keep their jobs, while FTM find new ones. It’s not entirely implausible, since FTM are younger, but it’s a stretch.
FTM show a “slight increase” in pay, which could easily be the result of becoming happier with themselves and better-adjusted psychologically – people who are happy and self-confident do better than those who are not.
Most MTF transexuals have a hard time “passing”, and as Douglas Knight and blank at 12:21 points out above, are likely to suffer disrimination for being transexual, rather than for being female.
To Yan Li:
I am interested in the transgender topics in Thailand, please, could you give more information us or connections with information on the matter much would be thanked for.
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