Surprise, surprise! Lesbians earn almost as much as gay men. This puts to rest one of the most prevalent misconceptions among lesbians and gays and in society as a whole.

On average, gay men don't earn significantly more. They often have more disposable dosh as they have fewer dependants, but a large percentage of lesbians do not have kids either and are freer to concentrate more on their careers than their straight counterparts. Among 30-39 year old lesbians, for instance, a higher proportion than gay men earn between £20,000-£24,000. However further up the salary scale gay men feature in higher numbers. While only 3% of lesbians in that same age bracket earn £50,000-£99,000, the percentage of gay men rises to 7%. The glass ceiling that prevents professional women in society at large from being promoted is just as evident here.

The average salary for a woman in the UK is £18,000, and for a man £24,000. The combined average for lesbians and gay men is approximately £22,000. It seems there is less of a gap between their earnings than between those of the national Mister and Ms Average.

The figures reflect wider regional differentials. Socially under-developed areas like the North-East have the highest numbers of lesbians living near the poverty line, earning less than £5,000 a year. The figures for gay men tell a different story. While fewer gay men overall earn so little, Scotland has the biggest under-employment of gay men, followed by Wales and the North West. Interestingly, these figures correlate with high levels of bigotry in these regions. Elsewhere in the survey, gay men reported the highest number of homophobic attacks in Wales and the greatest expectation of homophobic police in Scotland.

But generally, a hopeful picture emerges of increased spending power and work satisfaction for lesbians and gays. As discrimination at work is outlawed under European Law, more lesbians and gays have moved into workplaces where their sexuality is not an issue. A growing acceptance of homosexuality means that it is less frightening for gays and lesbians to be out at work, allowing them to be more comfortable and productive. Whereas at one time, lesbians would have had to comply with a strict feminine dress code at work, the increasingly casual attitude to dress makes it easier for some women to flourish in competitive, male-dominated environments. However, the price for many lesbian and gay high-earners for fitting into the corporate world still means not coming out at work at all.