Queer acceptance among young people in the Netherlands has declined significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, falling to levels last recorded in 2009. According to a representative study published by Utrecht University on September 27, 2026, the proportion of young men with a positive attitude toward LGBTQ+ individuals dropped 18 percentage points over a four-year period to 22 percent.
The findings challenge the historical self-image of the Netherlands, which gained recognition in the 1970s as a pioneer in LGBTQ+ rights. Gonneke Stevens, professor of youth studies at Utrecht University, noted that researchers anticipated some decline but did not expect it to reach this scale.
Decline Spans Demographics and School Types
The Utrecht University study, which surveys youth attitudes every four years, shows that acceptance decreased across multiple demographics. While young women maintain higher levels of acceptance than young men, positive attitudes among female respondents dropped from 78 percent in 2022 to 51 percent.
Stevens stated that the drop occurred among youth with and without migration backgrounds, and across both academic high schools and prevocational schools. Judith Thielen, state secretary for education and emancipation, described the overall situation as grave.
Educational institutions report tangible shifts in day-to-day school environments. Jodie Witteveen, an employee at the LGBTQ+ interest organization COC, told the newspaper NRC Handelsblad that schools increasingly reach out for guidance on how to safely organize Paarse Vrijdag, or Purple Friday, an annual autumn event promoting open acceptance of queer individuals. Witteveen contrasted current conditions with past practices, noting that Coming-Out Days at schools were previously celebrated like parties but now encounter a much more subdued atmosphere.
Impact of Pandemic Isolation and Online Manosphere Influences
Researchers and advocacy groups trace the turning point to the COVID-19 pandemic. Extended isolation during lockdowns left many young males—already uncertain of traditional social roles—increasingly isolated and vulnerable to online radicalization within what is known as the “manosphere.”
While early online discussions around alternative masculinity were influenced by figures such as Canadian academic Jordan Peterson, current online spaces frequently feature personalities like former kickboxer Andrew Tate, who is suspected of human trafficking and routinely attacks non-heterosexual identities. Hanneke Felten, a Dutch discrimination expert, told NRC Handelsblad that coordinated campaigns by nationalist, eraconservative, and religious organizations online are spreading disinformation, including false claims that children spontaneously become gay when educated about sexual diversity.
To combat the trend, Felten advocates for targeted initiatives to counter online disinformation. Meanwhile, despite Rob Jetten serving as the country’s first openly gay head of government, experts observe that political representation at the highest level has not shielded youth culture from the rising tide of intolerance.