We were the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, the Dutch often say proudly when it comes to LGBTI rights. Still in 2018, the first openly gay South Korean K-pop singer called himself Holland. But times have changed: too this year the Netherlands fell again on the ‘Rainbow Europe Index’which tracks how well European countries respect LGBTI rights.
The Netherlands is now in fourteenth place, one place lower than last year and two lower than in 2021. The country scores the same number of points as in 2022, but other nations are making more progress in the field of LGBTI rights. “Despite intense anti-LGBTI attacks in various countries, emancipation in Europe is still increasing,” writes the LGBT emancipation organization ILGA, which compiles the list annually.
Intersex
In particular, rights for intersex people are insufficiently guaranteed in the Netherlands, according to ILGA. The organization blames the Netherlands for children with both male and female gender characteristics undergoing operations at a young age that determine their gender. These procedures are not medically necessary and were banned in Spain and Greece last year, causing those countries to rise in the ranking.
“We call on politicians in The Hague to catch up. This must be possible quickly, because much of the required legislation is ready for consideration,” write COC Netherlands, Transgender Network Netherlands and organization for gender diversity NNID. in a joint statement. They advocate the adoption of a new ‘transgender law’, which makes self-determination the starting point for changing the gender statement of trans and intersex people. Violence against LGBTI people should also be punished more severely, according to the organizations, who find ILGA on their side.
Malta in the lead, Azerbaijan worst
Malta is at a lonely high on the ‘Rainbow Europe Index’, for the eighth year in a row. The country scores many points better than Belgium and Denmark, which are in joint second place. This is followed by Spain, Iceland and Ireland. LGBT rights are in the worst condition in Russia, Armenia and Turkey, where there is discrimination and human rights violations. Last on the list is Azerbaijan.
The ‘Rainbow Europe Index’ is published every year and measures how 49 European countries are doing on 74 points regarding legislation, policy and human rights for LGBTI people. The acceptance or discrimination of the population is therefore not taken into account.