Straight men face a lot of social pressure, still, to earn more than their wives. There are many potential pressures to face and overcome. Gay men of color face a dual challenge in managing social reactions and pressures from being both gay and people of color, and also gender expectations. When money issues arise in gay male relationships, I believe it’s because all American men (and elsewhere) are still, even in our oh-so-modern times, expected to the “breadwinners.” White men, especially of middle class or higher socio-economic status, are socialized to “getting their way,” enjoying a social privilege (whether they want it or not) among all demographics. It’s hard to find a gay male couple where issues of competition don’t come up, whether regarding physical appearance, social influence, or income. The sexism that women only earn a portion of what men earn, for the same work, extends to both gay men and straight men. Statistically, white men tend to be relatively high earners. Money – Gay male couples can have a lot of conflict around money.
