HOSPITALITY AND INEQUALITY IN THE LABOR MARKET IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The history of the labor market is shaped by processes of inclusion and exclusion that affect various layers of society, based on aspects of citizenship and socioeconomic conditions. This article aims to analyze the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in the Brazilian labor market, focusing on disparities related to gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, in addition to investigating the effectiveness of worker protection laws in mitigating discrimination. To achieve these objectives, methodological procedures were adopted that include a literature review on the evolution of the labor market and relevant laws, as well as the collection and analysis of secondary data from statistics from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the Information System on the Labor Market of the Tourism Sector in Brazil (SIMT/IPEA). The results show that, although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Brazilian Federal Constitutions establish principles of equality and protection against discrimination, the effectiveness of existing laws is still questionable. Data from 2019 indicate a participation rate of 73.7% for men and 54.5% for women in the workforce, revealing a persistent inequality that intensifies when considering sexual orientation and ethnicity. In tourism and hospitality, even with greater female participation, the average remuneration of men is 43% higher than that of women, evidencing a structure of inequality that encompasses not only gender issues, but also ethnic and sexual orientation aspects. This study highlights the need for a deeper and more effective recognition of citizen identity and conditions of equality in the labor market.