How Lesbian Friendly is The Netherlands

What We Want to Know

When we’re travelling to a new destination as a lesbian couple, there are a few things we take into consideration to figure out how lesbian friendly it is. We like to know what the LGBTQ+ laws are in that country, as well as what the social climate is. In some places the laws and the feelings of the local people don’t necessarily match. We also like to know if there are any “gaybourhoods” or areas that are especially lesbian friendly. This blog series is meant to inform other lesbian travellers about different destinations around the world, and help empower them to travel more openly when it is safe to do so. We will be sharing our experiences in each country as well as our recommendations, but as always we encourage everyone to do their own research. We can only speak to our own experiences, and everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to being out and open while travelling. The travel destinations that an LGBTQ+ person chooses, and the way in which they travel is a very personal decision, and we encourage everyone to only do what feels right to them.

Keep reading to find out how lesbian friendly The Netherlands is!

LGBTQ+ Laws

The laws regarding LGBTQ+ people in The Netherlands are some of the best in the world, and the country really helped pave the way for equal rights for our community. Same sex sexual activity has been legal since 1811, and The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize same sex marriage in 2001! Along with marriage equality came adoption rights, as well as equal access to family planning like IVF. There are anti-discrimination laws in place in all categories, including employment, and businesses & services, and there have been since 1994. The Netherlands have amazingly progressive laws in regards to LGBTQ+ people, and they continue to amend them to include more members of the community. They continue to be world leaders in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.

Social Climate

Not surprisingly, the public opinion in The Netherlands regarding LGBTQ+ people is very positive. A 2015 European Union Poll showed 91% of citizens in support of same sex marriage, and other recent studies also show high levels of acceptance. The country is often regarded as the most LGBTQ+ friendly country in the world, due to it’s progressive laws and high percentages of public support. The city of Amsterdam has hosted a large Pride celebration each year since 1996, and Amsterdam has also been host to EuroPride twice. Dutch people seem very accepting of our community, and The Netherlands is an amazing country for LGBTQ+ travellers.

Gaybourhoods

Amsterdam is definitely the gay capital of The Netherlands, but there are visible gay scenes in other cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, and Schemeningen. Amsterdam is full of gay culture, and there are even a number of lesbian establishments including Cafe ’t Mandje and Cafe Saarein. There are also a number of regular lesbian parties and festivals that are held for gay women. If you’re looking for gay culture in The Netherlands, there are plenty of options!

Our Experience

We really enjoyed travelling around The Netherlands on a trip to Western Europe. We spent time in the city of Amsterdam, as well as driving through plenty of smaller towns and rural areas. We are really impressed at how welcoming the entire country was, even outside of the city, and we felt completely at ease travelling as a lesbian couple. Knowing that the laws in The Netherlands treat LGBTQ+ people as true equals, we felt very safe being ourselves. We held hands and showed affection in public, and told people that we were a married lesbian couple. We were met with nothing but kindness by locals, and had a really great experience. We would highly recommend The Netherlands as a travel destination to other lesbian couples and travellers!

Have you been to The Netherlands? Share your experience in the comments below!