The LGBTIQA+ Wellbeing Monitor is a follow-up to previous studies conducted in 2023, 2021, and 2019. This year, 3533 LGBTIQA+ individuals from Gelderland and Overijssel participated. The study examined topics such as acceptance by the community, perceived safety and behavioral adjustment, (transgender) care, connection to the region, and municipal policy.
Sociologist Niels Spierings, one of the researchers, also contributed to previous well-being monitors. He finds the developments worrying. “LGBTIQA+ people usually feel accepted by their friends and family, but in public spaces and, for example, among their extended family, safety and acceptance are declining.” He was also struck by how long the waiting lists for transgender care are (1 to 2 years is very common). Spierings: “The majority of respondents in this study indicated that this is really very difficult for them.”
What stands out in the study?
Less acceptance in public spaces since 2021
The perceived acceptance of LGBTIQA+ people in public spaces has declined. This is particularly the case for people when going out and in their own neighborhood. In Overijssel, the average rating for acceptance in the neighborhood fell from 7.7 in 2021 to 6.9 in 2025. We see a similar decline in Gelderland.
The acceptance that LGBTIQA+ people experience from friends and family receives a high rating
Acceptance from social circles, such as immediate family members and friends, receives high marks. This has remained stable since 2021: parents receive an average score of 7 or higher, friends even a 9. This is a significant difference from the declining acceptance in public spaces, such as in the neighborhood or when going out.
Bi+, asexual, transgender, and non-binary individuals report the lowest levels of well-being.
Bi+, asexual, transgender, and non-binary individuals experience less acceptance and connection than others within the LGBTIQA+ community. They feel less accepted at work, school, and in public spaces, and are more likely to feel that their voices are not heard in healthcare. They also feel less connected to their living environment.
Feeling safer in restaurants and bars, but not on the streets
LGBTIQA+ people in Gelderland and Overijssel feel safer in the hospitality industry than they did two years ago. The percentage of homosexuals who sometimes or often felt unsafe in the hospitality industry fell from 32% in 2023 to 26% in 2025. Among non-binary people, this figure fell from 45 to 39 percent. Despite this improvement in the hospitality industry, LGBTIQA+ people generally feel less safe on the streets, and there were more incidents than in 2023.
Healthcare: experiences vary, long waiting times in transgender care
Experiences with regular healthcare, such as general practitioner care, psychological help, and home care, vary. Some respondents are satisfied with the care they receive, but a significant proportion feel that healthcare professionals have insufficient knowledge about LGBTIQA+ issues. This affects the quality of the care they receive. In addition, transgender and non-binary people from Gelderland and Overijssel have to wait an average of 1.5 to 2 years on the waiting list for transgender care. This long waiting time is difficult for them.
Regional differences
There are differences between regions in Gelderland and Overijssel. In Rivierenland, 43 percent of respondents sometimes feel unsafe on the streets, compared to 23 percent in Noordoost Twente. The perceived acceptance of classmates also varies: in the Green Metropolitan Region, this scores 7.9, and in Kop van de Veluwe, 6.6.
Inaccessibility is an obstacle for LGBTIQA+ individuals with a migration background, neurodiversity, and disabilities.
Although the vast majority of respondents with a migrant background, neurodivergence, or disability feel welcome within the LGBTIQA+ community, inaccessibility of venues and events is an obstacle. This prevents them from participating in certain LGBTIQA+ events.
Would you like to view all the results and recommendations? Go to https://vizieroost.nl/onderzoek/monitor-lhbtiqa-2025/. Curious about personal stories? Read the collection of stories from LGBTIQA+ people in Gelderland at https://vizieroost.nl/onderzoek/verhalenbundel-lhbtiqa/.