Analyzing LGBTQ+ Acceptance in The Netherlands: Perspectives from inside the community

Abstract

Acceptance towards LGBTQ+ individuals is stagnating. Quantative data shows that less people are accepting towards the LGBTQ+ movement. Theory suggests that politics and power mechanisms are responsible for this phenomenon. However, qualitative research exploring perspectives from within the community to confirm this is lacking. Therefore this study aims to shed light on how different identities within the LGBTQ+ community look at this phenomenon. A qualitative analysis of eighteen semi-structured interviews was conducted to gain insight on how these changes are experienced by the LGBTQ+ community itself, how it should be solved, and whether the discourse of the 2023 dutch elections had a significant impact on the experience on acceptance from the perspective of the LGBTQ+ community. The main outcome of this study was that LGBTQ+ individuals experience a significant stagnation in societal acceptance, which is particularly pronounced among gender diverse individuals compared to sexually diverse individuals. This stagnation is attributed to negative political discourse, particularly from right-wing parties, and systemic issues within healthcare and education.