Acceptance of homosexuality among Dutch schoolboys drops from 40% to 22% in national youth study

Sharp drop in homosexuality acceptance

The four-yearly Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study surveyed a representative sample of 6,600 Dutch pupils across primary grade eight and secondary education. Conducted by Utrecht University, the Trimbos Institute, and the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP), the survey measured long-term trends in health, lifestyle, and social attitudes. Between 2021 and 2025, the share of secondary school boys holding a positive attitude toward homosexuality fell from 40% to 22%. Among secondary school girls, positive views dropped from 78% to 51% over the same four-year interval. Lead researcher Gonneke Stevens noted that overall tolerance has fallen back to the level recorded when the question was first introduced in 2009.

We had expected a decline, but not that it would be so strong. Tolerance has decreased to approximately the level of 2009.

Social pressures and online subcultures

The researchers examined potential drivers behind the attitude shifts, noting that migration background played no measurable role because acceptance fell equally among pupils with and without migration backgrounds. Instead, Utrecht University researchers point toward the growing influence of social media algorithms and the online manosphere, which promotes rigid archetypes of dominant masculinity. Schools have also reported increased resistance during events such as Purple Friday, an annual initiative promoting LGBTI inclusion. Margreet de Looze, an expert on sexual and gender diversity at Utrecht University, explained how social penalties shape masculine conduct among adolescents.

Boys more often find it gross when two boys kiss than when two girls do. And for boys, the negative consequences are often greater if they behave 'too feminine'.

Following the publication of the findings, Marie Ricardo, director of the LGBTI advocacy group COC, called on public authorities and online platforms to respond directly to the trend.

We make an urgent appeal to the cabinet, schools, parents and social media companies to take immediate action.

Declining school satisfaction and mental health

The broader HBSC dataset revealed persistent challenges in pupil well-being and the school environment since the coronavirus pandemic. In 2013, 82% of secondary school pupils reported liking school, compared to 64% in 2025. School-related pressure remains elevated, with 54% of girls and 36% of boys reporting substantial strain from schoolwork. Across classroom metrics, girls reported higher rates of physical complaints, behavioral difficulties, and psychological distress than in 2017. Peer relationships have also deteriorated, as the proportion of girls reporting a positive classroom atmosphere dropped from 84% in 2017 to 71% in 2025, accompanied by increased reports of bullying.

Shifting daily habits and substance use

Lifestyle patterns among Dutch schoolchildren showed mixed developments across nutrition and substance use. Daily breakfast consumption declined from 78% of pupils in 2017 to 63% in 2025. Conversely, daily fruit consumption among primary school pupils rose from 42% to 54%, reaching its highest mark since monitoring began in 2001, while primary school boys engaged in physical exercise more frequently. In substance use, secondary school girls surpassed boys in smoking and vaping rates, with 12% of girls reporting smoking in the past month during 2025, compared to 8% of boys.