Can We Have Your ID Please? Understanding Differential LGBTQ+ Perceptions of the Police Through a Queer Theory and Procedural Justice Lens

Going beyond simplistic overgeneralization, this study analyses how diversity within the LGBTQ+ community is associated with differential perspectives on, and trust in, the police in Rotterdam. It utilizes queer theory concepts like heteronormativity and homonationalism to achieve a more complex and accurate understanding of LGBTQ+ perceptions and experiences and employs procedural justice theory to understand how these perceptions and experiences result in (dis)trust in the police. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants in Rotterdam. The results demonstrate that perceptions around the police are more negative, and less homogenous than quantitative surveys indicate—even in a country where tolerance of sexual minorities is relatively high. Differential acceptance of diversity in queerness under the LGBTQ+ umbrella seems to be crucial in shaping LGBTQ+ perceptions of the police, with “visibly queer” individuals being less accepted, and often holding more negative perceptions of the police. Future research should thus expand on how the various sub-groups within the LGBTQ+ spectrum perceive the police, and how trust can be improved, for example by strengthening the visibility of the PinkinBlue unit within the police.