The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) has measured the population’s attitudes towards Pride and LGBTQ people and does not like what it finds. The figures are therefore wrapped up. No attempt is made to find out why opinion is shifting: Could there be something in the fact that Pride has a prominence that is disproportionate to the number of LGBTQ people? The question is not asked. Instead, attention is focused on viewing it as a negative development.

Buried deep within the lengthy NTB report is the following:

The proportion who believe that the Pride celebration takes up too much space has increased from 32 per cent in 2022 to 45 per cent.

Almost half think there is too much Pride. Nevertheless, public authorities and businesses continue regardless. Pride has become a profession of faith. Pride has become a sect into which the population has been compulsorily enrolled.

The signals have been clear for a long time, but are not taken ad notam by Bufdir.

They do not view the shifts as an expression of legitimate attitudes, but as something that must be cured.

Nevertheless, the positive development has come to a halt this year, and the proportion with negative attitudes remains at the same level as in the previous survey, in 2022.

“We are paying particular attention to the increase in negative attitudes,” says Division Director Anne Magdalena Solbu Kleiven of Bufdir in a press release.

Is it necessarily positive that society should celebrate sexual minorities for an entire month?

The answer suggests that Bufdir is engaged in missionary work and does not tolerate apostasy. Everyone must come along.

Such an attitude will only create an even stronger negative shift.

People are most negative towards “trans people”. What a surprise!

They do not wish to share a changing room with a member of the opposite sex who claims to have changed sex.

But Bufdir appears to view transition as a civilisational project. As something self-evident, something obvious that must run its course. As the final answer.

There is no room for doubt or objections.

The state stands as guarantor that there exists an unlimited number of genders.

The answer presents itself: It is the state that is polarising.

A majority believe that it is important for Pride to be marked and are positive towards the participation of public authorities. Nevertheless, scepticism towards the celebration has increased since 2022, according to a new report.

This emerges from the report “The Population’s Attitudes Towards LGBT+ Persons”. On behalf of the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir), Opinion has conducted a population survey of attitudes towards LGBT+ persons. A total of 5,066 people responded to the survey.

The proportion who believe that the Pride celebration takes up too much space has increased from 32 per cent in 2022 to 45 per cent. Men in their seventies and older are the most sceptical towards Pride overall.

Geographically, the population of Oslo is the most positive towards Pride, and in Trøndelag fewer people than elsewhere in the country believe that the celebration takes up too much space.

Positive Towards Lesbians, Gay Men and Bisexuals, but No Further Progress

A majority of the population report positive attitudes towards lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Since 2008, the proportion with negative attitudes has roughly halved, and the development was steadily positive up until 2022. Nevertheless, the positive development has come to a halt this year, and the proportion with negative attitudes remains at the same level as in the previous survey in 2022.

“We are paying particular attention to the increase in negative attitudes,” says Division Director Anne Magdalena Solbu Kleiven of Bufdir in a press release.

The pattern varies between women and men, with women under 30 being the most positive group. Eighty per cent report positive attitudes towards gay men – the highest proportion in any group. Among young men under 30, the picture is different – the highest proportion hold negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men.

Geographically, the population of Oslo is clearly more positive towards queer people than the rest of the country, while negative attitudes are most widespread in Rogaland, Agder and Telemark.

More People Hold Negative Attitudes Towards Transgender Persons

While nearly half of the population are positive towards transgender persons, the proportion with negative attitudes has increased by 5 percentage points since the previous survey.

Negative attitudes are more widespread towards transgender persons than towards lesbians, gay men or bisexuals. The scepticism is even more evident regarding the question of sharing a changing room with a transgender person, an increase of ten percentage points since 2022.

“We believe that increased knowledge and competence regarding transgender persons and gender diversity is the key to changing attitudes in society. Bufdir will continue to develop knowledge and measures that promote acceptance and rights for everyone who breaks with norms relating to gender and sexuality,” says Solbu Kleiven.