The acceptance of homosexuals has grown over the past few years, with just 4% of the population disapproving last year compared with 15% in 2006.

The government’s socio-cultural policy unit SCP, which carried out the research, looked at the acceptance of gay marriage, of having a homosexual child and of gay teachers.

However, some groups still have a negative view of homosexuality, says the SCP. In particular, Moroccans (62%), Turks (54%), church-goers (26%) and anti-islam PVV voters (10%) remain more disapproving of the rights of gay men and lesbian women to live as they wish than the general public.

Limits

There are however some areas where the general acceptance runs up against clear limits, the SCP points out.

Some 20% of the Dutch think that gay and straight people should not have equal rights to adopt; 29% find the idea of two men kissing offensive, and 19% feel the same about two women kissing. At the same time 14% feel the same way about a man and a woman kissing,’ the research showed.

Acceptance of gays in the Netherlands compares with that in Scandinavian countries, Belgium, France and Germany, says the SCP. Differences with the rest of Europe are marked, with 50% of eastern Europeans having a negative view of homosexuality, a figure that has remained stable over the past ten years.

Emancipation problems

The gay rights lobby group COC said in a reaction that although gays are more accepted than in the past, there is still a big gap between ‘what people say and the reality’.

‘The emancipation problems are tough and need a much bolder approach,’ the COC said.

On Thursday 700 international participants gather in The Hague to discuss the emancipation of gays, bi-sexuals and transgenders. Among them is queen Máxima.

The conference is on the eve of the international day against homophobia.

Read the report (English)