Perceived Discrimination Against Queer People in the Netherlands: Public Beliefs and Policy Support

    19 February 2026

    LISS 2025. Authors: Erdem O. Meral (Universiteit van Amsterdam – Faculteit der Maatschappij en Gedragswetenschappen), Dongning Ren (Maastricht University – Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience),

    Queer people in the Netherlands have strong legal protections and the country is known for its progressive stance, including being the first to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001. Social acceptance is generally high, especially in cities. Yet many queer individuals still experience discrimination, harassment and violence. Recent data show rising anti-LGBTQ+ incidents and declining acceptance among younger people, revealing a gap between public perception and lived reality. If people believe discrimination is over, support for new policies may decline. This study will use the LISS panel to examine public perceptions of discrimination and their link to support for pro-queer initiatives.

    Picture by Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr on Unsplash