The Netherlands is famed for being one of the most progressive counties in the world. It legalized gay sex in 1811 and, in 2001, became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage.
Its rights group, COC Nederland, was set up in 1946. This makes it the oldest, continually running LGBTQ group in the world.
Not surprisingly, the country is home to what is believed to be the first public LGBTQ monument. Amsterdam’s Homomonument was commissioned in 1979 and unveiled in 1987.