Pathways to low-wage and precarious employment: A critical narrative inquiry among gay, bisexual, and queer men

2SLGBTQ+ people are one of the least studied populations in the labour market, despite disproportionate rates of poverty, workplace discrimination, and wage disparities. Precarious employment now dominates the labour market, leading to poorer health outcomes, stress, and isolation. Marginalized groups bear the greatest burden of this. Unfortunately, 2SLGBTQ+ people have been left out of current research on precarious employment, and this study aims to begin to address this gap.

This critical narrative inquiry seeks to better understand the labour market experiences and outcomes of low-wage and precariously employed gay, bisexual, and queer men. Interviews with gay, bisexual, and queer men will be conducted, as well as interviews with key informants with or for the population (e.g., job coaches, policy makers, union reps). We will critically examine how the experiences of these men are shaped and facilitated within contemporary socio-political and economic contexts. In partnership with employment agencies throughout Toronto, we are interested in developing strategies for service providers and employers, as well as informing policy, to reduce barriers to stable and safe work.

Objectives:

(1) To explore labour market and economic insecurity experiences of gay, bisexual and queer men:

1. identify and tell an overarching story of the pathways and mechanisms that lead these men to economic insecurity and precarious employment and
2. describe the mental health impacts of precarious employment and generate theoretical transferability around the mental health consequences of labour market experiences related to economic insecurity and precarious employment.

(2) To critically examine how the experiences of these men are shaped and facilitated within contemporary socio-political and economic contexts (e.g., neoliberal ideology, heteronormativity, sexism, and classism).

Funding Source:

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council – Partnership Engage Grant

Community Partner:

St Stephen's Community House & The Neighbourhood Group

Research Team:

• David Kinitz, MSW, RSW (primary contact)
  Primary investigator
  Doctoral candidate, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• Lori Ross, PhD
  Project supervisor and committee member
  Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• Darcy Losell, Job Coach
  Community partner lead
  St. Stephen's Community House Employment Services
• Dionne Gesink, PhD
  Supervisor
  Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, U of T
• Ellen MacEachen, PhD
  Committee member
  Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, U Waterloo

Project Outcomes:

TBD