Dutch gays widely accepted, but not in immigrant community

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dpa German Press Agency
Published: Wednesday November 29, 2006

Amsterdam- Dutch gays and lesbians enjoy greater acceptance in society at large and more rights under the law than almost anywhere else. Since 2001, they have been allowed to marry, and the law specifically provides for same-sex couples to adopt children.

Only around 6 per cent of the Dutch would object to a gay neighbour, compared to 14 per cent in Germany, 55 per cent in Poland and 66 per cent in Ukraine, according to figures compiled some six years ago by the state-funded Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP).

A new survey by the SCP published earlier this month shows that less than a quarter of the population - 22 per cent - is against same-sex marriage, with many of these from the ranks of the strongly religious.

Among the country's roughly 1 million Muslims, the picture is, however, starkly different. Some 55 per cent of Turks and 48 per cent of Moroccans reject same-sex partnerships.

Some sources suggest that 80 per cent of Turkish and 88 per cent of Moroccan youth would not accept gays in their circle of friends.

In its new survey, the SCP looked at four sectors: the world of sports, the hotel and catering sector, banking and insurance workers and the defence force.

It found that gays and lesbians in the sports world were noticeably reluctant to "come out." Of the 600,000 homosexuals active in sport, around half keep their sexual preferences to themselves.

Frank van Dalen of the Dutch COC organization that promotes gay rights said this was particularly true at the top levels. The reasons were fear of ostracism within the club and unfavourable media attention.

"I spoke recently to a top sportswoman, who was afraid her market value would decline, if it became clear that she was a lesbian," he told the NRC Handelsblad newspaper.

The SCP report suggests that women have an easier time of it than men. "Lesbians are seen as tough and husky, and thus sporty," the report says.

Particularly in hockey, a popular sport in which the Dutch national team shows considerable success at international level, lesbianism is widely accepted.

In the defence forces, around a quarter of gays and lesbians kept their sexual identity to themselves, mainly because the system of frequent transfer meant they would have to go through the coming-out process over and over again.

In general, the SCP study found that most Dutch were more than ready to accept homosexuals as long as their behaviour was not outrageous. In fact, most gay men shied away from association with others who paraded in an effeminate way.

However, gay men did have to put up with irritating "jokes" regarding their sexuality, it said.

The study noted negative comment on the internet, primarily from right-wing nationalists, conservative Protestants and Islamists, with the later citing either the Bible or the Koran to back up attacks on homosexuals and homosexuality.

Minister for Integration Rita Verdonk has acknowledged the problem among the immigrant population.

She recently said she would make 700,000 euros (900,000 dollars) in public money available, most of it to COC, to increase acceptance of homosexuality among immigrants.

Welcoming the minister's approach, Van Dalen said the aim was to "give homosexuality a face" among the Muslim immigrant population.

"Dutch Moroccans are often much more conservative than Moroccans in Marrakesh. These days there is a lively gay scene there," he said.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency