Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    ✖ Not banned
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    ✔ Legal
    Conversion Therapy
    ✖ Not banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Public opinion in Netherlands appears to be somewhat divided on LGBTQ+ issues, as evidenced by recent studies.

Survey

of gay or bisexual youth (age 12-25) have dealt with online bullying or harassment

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Survey results from 13 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Netherlands.

Overall

Overall

Perceived Safety*

Feel safe being open
Absence of verbal harassment
Absence of threats and violence
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment

Treatment by peers
Treatment by family
Treatment at work
Treatment at school
Treatment by general public
Treatment by businesses
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation

Inclusion in education
Representation in entertainment
Representation in news
Political support
Out public figures

Culture

Pride/events
Nightlife
Dating life
Interest groups and clubs

Services

Health and wellness
Gender-affirming care
Support and social services
Advocacy and legal

History

Homosexual activity in Netherlands

?

Homosexual activity in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since May 5, 1945
Legal
Canadian, British, Polish, Dutch, and American troops liberated the Netherlands during WW2 on this day.
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May 15, 1940–May 5, 1945
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
During the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II homosexuality was criminalized by Paragraph 175.
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1815–May 15, 1940
Legal
After liberated from the French, anti-sodomy laws were never introduced until the Nazi invasion in 1940
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Legal
1811 French invasion invalidated anti-sodomy statutes. In 1815 the Netherlands declared its independence and did not reintroduce anti-sodomy laws.
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1730–1811
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Uncertain about punishments for homosexuality in the Dutch Republic.
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Same-sex marriage in Netherlands

?

Same-sex marriage in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since Apr 1, 2001
Legal
The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage. The Lower Chamber voted 109 in favor on the same-sex marriage, with 33 against on September 12, 2000. On December 19, the Higher Chamber votes 'yes' on the bill. Queen Beatrix ratified the law on December 21st and it went into effect on April 1, 2001.
1990–Apr 1, 2001
Civil unions (marriage rights)
Before April 1st 2001, gay people could not marry, but had access to civil unions.
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Censorship of LGBT issues in Netherlands

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Netherlands is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
In Netherlands, there are no laws restricting the discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
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Right to change legal gender in Netherlands

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Right to change legal gender in Netherlands is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.

Current status
Since Dec 18, 2013
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of not requiring surgery to change one's gender on official documents. It is still required to get a medical diagnosis, however.
1985–Dec 18, 2013
Legal, but requires surgery
Dutch Civil Law provides that in order for a citizen to change their legal gender they must first undergo gender re-assignment surgery.
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Gender-affirming care in Netherlands

?

Gender-affirming care in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since 1996
Legal
In 1996, Netherlands adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
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Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1979, Netherlands adopted the ICD-9 classification, which included codes allowing for the diagnosis of transsexualism in adults.
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Restricted
In 1972, Netherlands legalized sterilization, which de facto meant legalizing sex reassignment surgery, however, medical records regarding transsexualism had to be obtained abroad.
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Until 1972
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Netherlands

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Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Netherlands is recognized.

Current status
Since 2018
Recognized
It has been possible to have an X on passports since 2018, but doing so required hiring an attorney and going through a costly process.

However, judges in Arnhem have ruled that a non-binary person does not have to involve an outside expert to assess whether they should be allowed to have X in their passport, rather than M or V.
Until 2018
Intersex only
Article 19(c) of the Civil Code establishes that “if the child’s gender is doubtful, the birth certificate will record that the sex of the child could not be determined”. After three months, a doctor may issue a medical certificate stating whether the child’s gender is impossible to determine or concluding that the newborn must be recorded under a specific gender.

LGBT discrimination in Netherlands

?

LGBT discrimination in Netherlands is illegal.

Current status
Since Feb 2023
Illegal
Sexual orientation was added as a protected category from discrimination in the constitution of the Netherlands after votes in Senate and House Of Representatives were successful. Previously the Equal Rights Act of 1993 protected sexual orientation and had been interpreted to protect gender identity, expression and sex characteristics as well.
1993–Feb 2023
Illegal
Equal Rights Act of 1993 banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Hate crimes in the Netherlands have been rising in recent years.
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LGBT employment discrimination in Netherlands

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Netherlands is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1993
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protection.
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LGBT housing discrimination in Netherlands

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Netherlands is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1993
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Full discrimination protection.
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Same-sex adoption in Netherlands

?

Same-sex adoption in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since Sep 12, 2000
Legal
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Intersex infant surgery in Netherlands

?

Intersex infant surgery in Netherlands is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
In December 2019, the House of Representatives adopted a motion tabled by Vera Bergkamp and Kirsten van den Hul calling on the government to investigate the extent of intersex medical interventions in the Netherlands; however, so far, there have been no further updates on this motion.
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Serving openly in military in Netherlands

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Serving openly in military in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since 1974
Legal
The Netherlands became the first country to allow gay soldiers to serve in the military openly.
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Blood donations by MSMs in Netherlands

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Blood donations by MSMs in Netherlands is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2024
Legal
Since January 1st 2024, all restrictions regarding MSMs have been lifted. They now have to follow the same criteria as everyone else.
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Sep 1, 2021–Jan 1, 2024
Legal with restrictions
Sanquin concluded from research that the risk of blood-borne infections is minimal, and any man in a monogamous relationship with another man has been able to become a blood donor with no deferral based off sexuality since September 1st, 2021.
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Feb 1, 2019–Sep 1, 2021
Banned (less than 6-month deferral)
In February 2019, the Sanquin blood bank, which is responsible for the collection, processing, and distribution of blood and blood products, shortened the deferral period down to 4 months.
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Oct 28, 2015–Feb 1, 2019
Banned (1-year deferral)
The deferral for gay men donating blood after having sex was changed from an infinite deferral to a 12 month deferral in 2015.
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Until Oct 28, 2015
Banned (indefinite deferral)
Before 2015, MSM blood donors were deferred from donating blood indefinitely.
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Conversion therapy in Netherlands

?

Conversion therapy in Netherlands is not banned.

Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is not banned in the Netherlands.
Sources:
trouw.nl/opinie/schiet-op-m…b18d7066/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
ecosia.org/search?q=Netherl…
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Equal age of consent in Netherlands

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Equal age of consent in Netherlands is equal.

Current status
Since 1978
Equal
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Unequal
Age of consent for homosexual relationships was 21 while for heterosexual relationships the age of consent was 16.
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LGBT Rights by Province

View the LGBT laws in each individual province of Netherlands.