oa Immigranten vlak na migratie en de verandering in de houding ten aanzien van homoseksualiteit

Immigrants right after migration and the change in attitude towards homosexuality

In this study we investigate the changes in the attitude towards homosexuality among immigrants to the Netherlands in the first years after migration. We test possible explanations for an attitude change related to dynamics in integration in the Netherlands: the extent to which social contact, media use and church attendance are associated to changes in attitudes towards homosexuality. We used the NORFACE funded Dutch panel data ‘Causes and Consequences of Social and Cultural Integration Process among recent immigrants to Europe’ (SCIP). Bulgarian, Polish, Moroccan, Turkish, Antillean and Surinamese immigrants are included in this study. An unexpected finding is that recent immigrants generally became more negative regarding homosexuality during their stay in the Netherlands. There is quite some between- and within-migrant group variation: the Bulgarians have become more positive in contrast to the other migrant groups. Watching Dutch television and a decline in church attendance have a positive effect on the change in attitude towards homosexuality. The increase in church attendance can explain why immigrants, in general, became more negative. No support was found for the expected impact of changes in social contact.