Dutch PM Jetten’s Stonewall visit and ‘hit them in the face’ gaffe: What it means for queer expats in the Netherlands

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten made headlines twice in one week — first by standing at the Stonewall Inn in New York to defend LGBTQI+ rights, then by threatening to “hit opponents in the face” with an aggressive remark that he later called a “slip of the tongue.”

For internationals living in the Netherlands, especially those who belong to the queer community, the episode raises a practical question: is the country still a safe haven, and what is the government actually doing to protect equal rights?

Stonewall: A symbol of solidarity — and a warning

On 23 September, Jetten visited the Stonewall Inn in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly. The landmark, where the 1969 riots sparked the modern gay rights movement, was chosen deliberately. Speaking to Dutch reporters, Jetten said that acceptance of the LGBTQI+ community is “declining rapidly” in the Netherlands and worldwide. “I also feel a genuine personal commitment to doing what is necessary to show the younger generation once again, ‘You are allowed to be yourself, even in the Netherlands,’” he said (NL Times).

His visit came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump used his UN speech to rail against what he called “transgender mutilation” and “transgender insanity” — language that Jetten implicitly pushed back against by telling Trump, in a private conversation before the address, that LGBTI emancipation and the freedom to be oneself are important (NL Times).

The gaffe that overshadowed the message

Five days later, at the congress of his own party D66, Jetten’s passion turned into a public relations headache. Responding to a spontaneous question about people and groups that deliberately attack LGBTQI+ rights, he said: “We are not going to let those guys win — we are going to hit them full in the face” (in Dutch: ”we gaan ze vol op hun bek slaan”).

Politicians across the Tweede Kamer (the Dutch House of Representatives) immediately criticised the remark, calling it “unworthy of a prime minister” (NOS). Jetten apologised the next day. “I should have used more polite language yesterday,” he said. “Of course I didn’t mean it literally. But I am simply very passionate about equal rights for everyone, and that’s what I tried to convey.” He described the comment as a “slip of the tongue” and promised to watch his words more carefully in the future.

What this means for internationals in the Netherlands

For expats and internationals, Jetten’s Stonewall visit and subsequent gaffe highlight a tension that is often glossed over in the Netherlands’ self-image as a tolerant country. The decline in acceptance he referred to is real: a 2024 survey by the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) found that 18% of Dutch people think homosexuality is “wrong,” up from 11% a decade earlier. Transgender rights have become a particular flashpoint, mirroring debates in the U.S. and elsewhere.

If you are living in the Netherlands on a residence permit — and especially if you are queer — the protection of equal rights affects your daily life. The Dutch Constitution (Grondwet) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but enforcement is not automatic. Discrimination complaints can be filed with the College voor de Rechten van de Mens (Netherlands Institute for Human Rights) or via the police reporting centre Discriminatie.nl. For those without Dutch citizenship, a hostile political climate can also influence asylum or family reunification applications, though Jetten’s government has not proposed any rollback of LGBTQI+ protections.

What happens next

Jetten’s aggressive language may have backfired, but it also shows that he is willing to be vocal — even if imperfectly — on an issue that many world leaders avoid. He has not announced any new policy measures since the Stonewall visit. The question for internationals is whether this kind of political heat translates into concrete action, such as stronger anti-discrimination laws, better support for transgender healthcare, or more funding for queer community centres.

For now, the takeaway is this: the Netherlands is still one of the most LGBTQI+-friendly countries in the world, but acceptance is not guaranteed, and the government’s commitment is being tested — both at home and on the global stage.

This article was updated on 28 September 2026.