Policy Beliefs of LGBTQ Involved in Policymaking: The Case of the Netherlands and Spain

This article examines what deep core beliefs of LGBTQ+ organizations are conducive of policy involvement for change in Spain and the Netherlands. Deep core beliefs, that is, the fundamental normative and ontological assumptions of the human nature, society, and natural systems are crucial to understand how policy actors behave and engage in public policy processes. However, we have limited empirical understanding of how deep core beliefs affect the involvement of civil society organizations (such as LGBTQ+ groups) in public policy processes. Using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) with the survey responses of 76 LGBTQ organizations (42 from Spain and 34 from the Netherlands) we observe that different deep core beliefs explain whether LGBTQ organizations engage in policy change in these two countries. In Spain, organizations that invest in egalitarianism (i.e., that seek strong group identities but prefer minimal prescriptions imposed from outside the group) are more likely to engage in policymaking processes. In contrast, hierarchism (i.e., organizations that prefer strong group attachments and binding external prescriptions) is crucial for Dutch LGBTQ+ groups that engage in policymaking processes. The paper closes with a discussion of these findings and some practical implications both for representatives of LGBTQ+ organizations and policymakers.