Netherlands

In the Netherlands, public opinion and laws about LGBTIQ people are progressive, but gaps remain. Same-sex couples can marry and adopt, and transgender people can change their legal gender markers based on self-determination. The Dutch government has offered compensation to individuals who underwent surgery or sterilization because of previous legal requirements for changing gender markers. Non-binary people can elect to use the gender marker “X.” Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, goods and services, and education is banned. Public opinion is highly supportive—in several surveys about social acceptance of same-sex marriage, Netherlands ranks the highest in Europe. Additionally, the Netherlands was ranked the second highest out of 175 countries for average social acceptance of LGBTI people between 2017 and 2020. However, conversion practices are legal, and nonconsensual medical interventions on intersex youth still occur. Family rejection and subsequent housing insecurity for LGBTIQ youth remain issues. Hate crimes including death threats and physical attacks are major problems, and anti-trans rhetoric in the media is especially common. LGBTIQ asylum seekers are often denied based on stereotypical requirements.