Illustrated News
Homophobic Attitudes Have Dramatically Declined in Western Europe and the U.S.
August 27, 2025
Quick Facts
- U.S. homophobic attitudes dropped from 75% (1984) to 28% (2022)
- The Netherlands saw the sharpest decline, from 34% to just 6%
- All five countries studied showed consistent downward trends in the past 40 years
Why It Matters
Demonstrates that social acceptance is advancing alongside legal protections for LGBTQ+ equality.
According to data from Our World in Data, homophobic sentiment—measured by the proportion of individuals who believe that homosexuality is “never or rarely justified”—has significantly decreased over the past 40 years in several Western countries.
In 1984, this view was held by a vast majority of Americans (75%), and substantial portions of the population in Spain (70%), Great Britain (61%), Sweden (48%), and the Netherlands (34%). By 2022, these figures had fallen to 28% in the U.S., 19% in Spain, 15% in the U.K., 9% in Sweden, and just 6% in the Netherlands .
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This remarkable shift highlights growing acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals and reflects broader cultural change toward inclusivity. While many societies have elevated legal protections and equal rights, these attitudinal changes demonstrate that social acceptance has advanced in tandem, marking a positive step in the fight for equality globally.
Source: Our World in Data