– in Europe (light green & dark gray) – in the European Union (light green) – [Legend]
Status
Legal since 1811, equal age of consent since 1971
Gender identity
Transgender people are allowed to change legal gender without surgery or hormone therapy, but a specialist's letter of permission given after a prolonged period of talks is required.
Military
LGBT people allowed to serve openly
Discrimination protections
Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics protections; Sexual orientation only formally added to the Constitution since 2023
Family rights
Recognition of relationships
Registered partnerships since 1998 Same-sex marriage since 2001
Adoption
Full adoption rights since 2001
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the Netherlands are among the most advanced in the world.[1][2] Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1811 after France invaded the country and installed the Napoleonic Code, erasing any remaining sodomy laws. No more sodomy laws were enacted after the country received independence. An age of consent equal with that of heterosexual activity was put in place in 1971. During the late 20th century, awareness surrounding homosexuality grew and society became more tolerant of gay and bisexual people. The changes eventually led to homosexuality's declassification as a mental illness in 1973 and a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation in the military. The Equal Treatment Act 1994 bans discrimination on account of sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other areas. This was extended in 2019 to include discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.[3] After the country began granting same-sex couples registered partnerships benefits in 1998, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001. Same-sex joint and stepchild adoption are also permitted, and lesbian couples can access IVF as well.
The Netherlands has become one of the most culturally liberal countries in the world,[4] with recent polls indicating that more than 90% of Dutch people support same-sex marriage. Amsterdam has frequently been named one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in the world,[5] famous for its many accommodations specifically pertaining to the LGBT community, including its many gay bars, bathhouses, hotels, and venues as well as Pink Point, which provides LGBT-friendly information and souvenirs, and the national Homomonument, which was completed in 1987 and was the first monument in the world to commemorate homosexuals who were persecuted and killed during World War II.[6] Since February 2023, protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and disability were formally added to the Netherlands Constitution.[7]
^"European Countries Among Top Places for Gay People to Live". Gallup. 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
^"The 203 Worst (& Safest) Countries for LGBTQ+ Travel in 2023". Asher & Lyric. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
^"Senaat stemt voor verbod op discriminatie trans- en intersekse personen". COC (in Dutch). 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^"Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport". 18 February 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
^"Amsterdam In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to". The Independent. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
^"Gay Amsterdam". Amsterdam Info. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
^Perry, Sophie (12 February 2023). "The Netherlands votes to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
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