Legal recognition of non-binary gender

17 countries legally recognize non-binary or third gender identities.

DATE

Legal recognition of non-binary gender

Most countries around the world only legally recognize male and female on official documents such as passports, licenses, birth certificates, and other official identification documents. However, in recent years, some countries, provinces, and states have begun offering the ability for non-binary and intersex individuals to request a change to official documents.

Usually, official documents will be marked with an "X" gender marker (rather than "M" or "F" for male or female).

Summary

17
Recognized
17 regions (9%)
Recognized
4
Some recognition
4 regions (2%)
Some recognition
176
Not recognized
176 regions (89%)
Not recognized
1
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (1%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
8%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (8%)
Some recognition
2 regions (4%)
Not recognized
44 regions (88%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Oceania
14%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
2 regions (14%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
12 regions (86%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
South America
25%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (25%)
Some recognition
1 regions (8%)
Not recognized
8 regions (67%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (13%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
19 regions (83%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (4%)
Africa
0%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
regions (0%)
Some recognition
1 regions (2%)
Not recognized
53 regions (98%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Asia
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (9%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
40 regions (91%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)

Timeline of legal recognition of non-binary gender

Number of countries to legally recognize non-binary genders over the past 14 years.

Recent & Upcoming Changes

Upcoming Changes

2023

2022

2021

Legal recognition of non-binary gender by Country

Recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is recognized in 17 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. Bangladesh 2013
  3. India 2014
  4. Nepal 2013
  5. Pakistan 2023
  6. Europe (4)
  7. Denmark 2014
  8. Iceland 2019
  9. Malta 2017
  10. Netherlands 2018
  11. North America (3)
  12. Canada 2019
  13. Mexico 2023
  14. United States 2022
  15. Oceania (2)
  16. Australia 2011
  17. New Zealand 2012
  18. South America (3)
  19. Argentina 2021
  20. Chile 2022
  21. Colombia 2022
  22. Antarctica (1)
  23. Antarctica

Intersex only

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is intersex only in 4 regions.

  1. Europe (2)
  2. Austria 2018
  3. Germany 2018
  4. Africa (1)
  5. Kenya 2022
  6. South America (1)
  7. Brazil 2021

Not legally recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is not legally recognized in 176 regions.

  1. Asia (40)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bhutan
  5. Brunei
  6. Cambodia
  7. China
  8. Indonesia
  9. Iran
  10. Iraq
  11. Israel
  12. Japan
  13. Jordan
  14. Kazakhstan
  15. Kuwait
  16. Kyrgyzstan
  17. Laos
  18. Lebanon
  19. Malaysia
  20. Maldives
  21. Mongolia
  22. Myanmar
  23. North Korea
  24. Oman
  25. Palestine
  26. Philippines
  27. Qatar
  28. Saudi Arabia 1932
  29. Singapore
  30. South Korea
  31. Sri Lanka
  32. Syria
  33. Taiwan
  34. Tajikistan
  35. Thailand
  36. Timor-Leste
  37. Turkmenistan
  38. United Arab Emirates
  39. Uzbekistan
  40. Vietnam
  41. Yemen
  42. Europe (44)
  43. Albania
  44. Andorra
  45. Armenia
  46. Azerbaijan
  47. Belarus
  48. Belgium
  49. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  50. Bulgaria
  51. Croatia
  52. Cyprus
  53. Czech Republic
  54. Estonia
  55. Finland
  56. France 2016
  57. Georgia
  58. Greece 2018
  59. Hungary
  60. Ireland
  61. Italy
  62. Kosovo
  63. Latvia
  64. Liechtenstein
  65. Lithuania
  66. Luxembourg
  67. Moldova
  68. Monaco
  69. Montenegro
  70. North Macedonia
  71. Norway
  72. Poland
  73. Portugal
  74. Romania
  75. Russia
  76. San Marino
  77. Serbia
  78. Slovakia
  79. Slovenia
  80. Spain
  81. Sweden
  82. Switzerland
  83. Turkey
  84. Ukraine
  85. United Kingdom 2004
  86. Vatican City
  87. North America (19)
  88. Antigua and Barbuda
  89. Bahamas
  90. Barbados
  91. Belize
  92. Cuba
  93. Dominica
  94. Dominican Republic
  95. El Salvador
  96. Grenada
  97. Guatemala
  98. Haiti
  99. Honduras
  100. Jamaica
  101. Nicaragua
  102. Panama
  103. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  104. Saint Lucia
  105. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  106. Trinidad and Tobago
  107. Africa (53)
  108. Algeria 1966
  109. Angola
  110. Benin
  111. Botswana
  112. Burkina Faso
  113. Burundi
  114. Cameroon
  115. Cape Verde
  116. Central African Republic
  117. Chad
  118. Comoros
  119. Côte d’Ivoire
  120. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  121. Djibouti
  122. Egypt
  123. Equatorial Guinea
  124. Eritrea
  125. Eswatini
  126. Ethiopia
  127. Gabon
  128. Gambia
  129. Ghana
  130. Guinea
  131. Guinea-Bissau
  132. Lesotho
  133. Liberia
  134. Libya 1951
  135. Madagascar
  136. Malawi
  137. Mali
  138. Mauritania
  139. Mauritius
  140. Morocco
  141. Mozambique
  142. Namibia
  143. Niger
  144. Nigeria
  145. Republic of the Congo
  146. Rwanda
  147. Sao Tome and Principe
  148. Senegal
  149. Seychelles
  150. Sierra Leone
  151. Somalia 1960
  152. South Africa
  153. South Sudan
  154. Sudan
  155. Tanzania
  156. Togo
  157. Tunisia
  158. Uganda
  159. Zambia
  160. Zimbabwe
  161. Oceania (12)
  162. Federated States of Micronesia
  163. Fiji
  164. Kiribati
  165. Marshall Islands
  166. Nauru
  167. Palau
  168. Papua New Guinea
  169. Samoa
  170. Solomon Islands
  171. Tonga
  172. Tuvalu
  173. Vanuatu
  174. South America (8)
  175. Bolivia
  176. Ecuador
  177. Guyana
  178. Paraguay
  179. Peru
  180. Suriname
  181. Uruguay
  182. Venezuela

No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous

Data on legal recognition of non-binary gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 1 regions.

  1. North America (1)
  2. Costa Rica

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