Dutch teenagers are becoming less accepting of homosexuality as school life grows tougher, according to new HBSC research. The sharpest fall is among boys, while girls report rising emotional and behavioural problems. The findings matter because they connect classroom atmosphere, bullying, mental health and LGBTQ+ inclusion rather than treating them as separate issues.

Essential Takeaways

  • Acceptance has fallen: Positive attitudes towards homosexuality dropped among secondary-school boys and girls between 2021 and 2025.
  • Girls are struggling most: Emotional problems among girls rose from 29% in 2017 to 43% in 2025.
  • School feels less welcoming: Young people report a poorer atmosphere between classmates and more bullying.
  • Religion remains unmeasured: Researchers say the survey didn't explore religious identity and practice in enough depth to assess their influence.
  • Support is being considered: The Dutch government is looking at extra help for schools, teachers and youth workers.

Acceptance is slipping across Dutch secondary schools

The headline figure is difficult to ignore. In the Netherlands, the share of secondary-school boys with a positive view of homosexuality fell from 40% in 2021 to 22% in 2025. Among girls, it dropped from 78% to 51%.

Taken together, roughly four in ten young people now express a positive attitude. The results come from the four-yearly Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, carried out by the Trimbos Institute and Utrecht University, which examines health and wellbeing among pupils in primary and secondary education.

The survey covers everything from exercise and diet to alcohol, bullying, sexual health and psychological wellbeing. That broad approach gives the figures useful context, because attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people are shifting alongside a wider deterioration in how young people experience school. Industry and public-health evidence continues to point to mental wellbeing as a major concern for adolescents and young adults. (Sources: Trimbos Institute, CBS)

Girls are carrying a particularly heavy burden

The most troubling pattern sits beyond LGBTQ+ acceptance. Between 2017 and 2025, the proportion of girls reporting emotional problems climbed from 29% to 43%. Behavioural problems also rose, from 12% to 21%.

Girls have also become less positive about the atmosphere among classmates. The percentage who viewed classroom relationships favourably fell from 84% to 71%, while reports of bullying increased across the wider school population.

That doesn't mean boys are unaffected, but the gender gap is striking. Dutch health authorities have repeatedly tracked lingering concerns about young people's mental health, including the effects of stress, isolation and uncertainty. The message for schools is fairly plain: a student who feels unsafe, excluded or worn down is less likely to thrive academically or socially. (Sources: RIVM, CBS)

A less friendly classroom changes the bigger picture

Researchers involved in the study say the fall in LGBTQ+ acceptance shouldn't be viewed in isolation. School appears to have become a less comfortable place for many pupils, and that broader mood may influence how they treat classmates who seem different.

Bullying is part of the picture, but so are belonging, peer pressure and the tone of everyday conversations. Online culture can add another layer, particularly when hostile content travels quickly and young people encounter competing messages about identity and inclusion.

The Dutch government has previously framed mental health as a shared responsibility involving families, schools, healthcare services and communities. Prevention guidance from the government and Trimbos Institute also stresses the importance of early support, open conversations and environments in which young people can ask for help without embarrassment. (Sources: Rijksoverheid, Trimbos Institute, RIVM)

Why researchers say religion is a blind spot

The HBSC research didn't use religion as a separate factor when analysing LGBTQ+ acceptance. Saskia van Dorsselaer of the Trimbos Institute said that was a limitation, while also explaining that the survey had to cover a wide range of health topics.

A single question about whether a young person identifies as Christian or Muslim wouldn't show how actively they practise their faith, how strictly they were raised or how religious beliefs shape personal values. Answering those questions properly would require a much longer questionnaire.

Researchers chose to devote more space to mental health after earlier HBSC results showed worrying levels of psychological difficulty. That's a defensible decision, but it leaves an important question for future work: how do family beliefs, religious communities and online influences interact with school climate and acceptance? (Sources: Trimbos Institute, Rijksoverheid)

Schools may be asked to lead the response

Dutch State Secretary for Education and Emancipation Judith Tielen called the change in attitudes towards homosexuality serious and said additional measures are being considered. Possible steps include targeted support for schools, better training for teachers and more expertise among youth workers.

The COC, the Dutch LGBTQ+ rights organisation, described the findings as alarming and urged the government, schools and parents to act quickly. It also called on social-media companies to take greater responsibility, arguing that LGBTQ+ information can be suppressed while misogynistic online subcultures gain visibility.

There are no instant fixes here. But practical action can start with well-trained staff, clear anti-bullying policies, safer reporting routes and classroom conversations that don't leave LGBTQ+ pupils to defend their existence alone. As one human point stands above the statistics, every teenager should be able to walk into school without bracing themselves for hostility. (Sources: RTL Nieuws, Trimbos Institute, Rijksoverheid)

It's a stark reminder that acceptance and mental health rise or fall together.

Source Reference Map

Story idea inspired by: [1]

Sources by paragraph: