A recent study by the Youth Research Platform (JOP) reveals a worrying trend: LGBTQIA+ acceptance among Flemish youth is declining. In 2023, nearly 1 in 5 students said they found violence against gay people “acceptable.” Support for same-sex marriage is falling, and fewer young people believe schools should teach respect for LGBTQIA+ people — only just over half agree, compared to three-quarters in 2018.
The survey questioned over 1,500 students in their final years of secondary school, mostly in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. The rise in homophobia cuts across all groups — boys and girls, religious and non-religious, general and vocational education. Boys and students in vocational tracks showed the sharpest increase.
These figures are alarming, but they also raise important questions. Where does this shift come from? Is it a reaction to social uncertainty, online hate, or a deeper feeling of exclusion? If we want real change, we need to go beyond the numbers — and listen.
At KET, we choose not to give in to fear. Instead, we see this research as a call to engage more deeply: to be present in classrooms, in conversations, in everyday life. To be louder, kinder, and more visible — not just during Pride Month, but all year long.
Young people are not the enemy. They’re the future. And if we keep showing up with honesty, pride, and love, we believe that future can still be brighter than the past.
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