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Legal recognition of non-binary gender

16 countries and territories legally recognize non-binary or third gender identities.

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  • Recognized
  • Not legally recognized
  • Intersex only
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Dec 22 2022Became Intersex only in Spain
  • Nov 3 2022Became Recognized in Hidalgo
  • Oct 14 2022Became Recognized in Chile
  • Jul 1 2022Became Intersex only in Kenya
  • Jun 26 2022Became Recognized in Vermont
  • Jun 17 2022Became Recognized in Quebec
  • May 12 2022Became Recognized in Bahia
  • Apr 29 2022Became Recognized in Rio Grande do Sul

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

16
Recognized
16 regions (7%)
Recognized
5
Some recognition
5 regions (2%)
Some recognition
103
Not recognized
103 regions (44%)
Not recognized
108
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
108 regions (47%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (6%)
Some recognition
3 regions (6%)
Not recognized
42 regions (81%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
4 regions (8%)
Oceania
8%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
2 regions (8%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
2 regions (8%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
20 regions (83%)
South America
29%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (29%)
Some recognition
1 regions (7%)
Not recognized
9 regions (64%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
3%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
1 regions (3%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
22 regions (61%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
13 regions (36%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
1 regions (2%)
Some recognition
1 regions (2%)
Not recognized
7 regions (12%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
50 regions (85%)
Asia
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (9%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
21 regions (46%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
21 regions (46%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for legal recognition of non-binary gender over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

Legal recognition of non-binary gender by country

(and dependent territories)

Recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is recognized in 16 regions.

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

Not legally recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is not legally recognized in 103 regions.

  1. Asia (21)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. China
  4. Indonesia
  5. Iran
  6. Japan
  7. Kazakhstan
  8. Kuwait
  9. Lebanon
  10. Malaysia
  11. North Korea
  12. Oman
  13. Philippines
  14. Qatar
  15. Saudi Arabia 1932
  16. Sri Lanka
  17. Syria
  18. Taiwan
  19. Tajikistan
  20. Thailand
  21. United Arab Emirates
  22. Uzbekistan
  23. Europe (42)
  24. Albania
  25. Andorra
  26. Azerbaijan
  27. Belarus
  28. Belgium
  29. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  30. Bulgaria
  31. Croatia
  32. Cyprus
  33. Czech Republic
  34. Estonia
  35. Finland
  36. France 2016
  37. Georgia
  38. Greece 2018
  39. Hungary
  40. Ireland
  41. Isle of Man
  42. Italy
  43. Kosovo
  44. Latvia
  45. Liechtenstein
  46. Lithuania
  47. Luxembourg
  48. Moldova
  49. Monaco
  50. Montenegro
  51. North Macedonia
  52. Norway
  53. Poland
  54. Portugal
  55. Romania
  56. Russia
  57. San Marino
  58. Serbia
  59. Slovakia
  60. Slovenia
  61. Sweden
  62. Switzerland
  63. Turkey
  64. Ukraine
  65. United Kingdom
  66. North America (22)
  67. Anguilla
  68. Antigua and Barbuda
  69. Aruba
  70. Bahamas
  71. Barbados
  72. Belize
  73. Cuba
  74. Dominican Republic
  75. El Salvador
  76. Guadeloupe
  77. Guatemala
  78. Haiti
  79. Honduras
  80. Jamaica
  81. Martinique 2016
  82. Nicaragua
  83. Panama
  84. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  85. Saint Lucia
  86. Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  87. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  88. Trinidad and Tobago
  89. Africa (7)
  90. Angola
  91. Egypt
  92. Libya 1951
  93. Mauritania
  94. Réunion 2016
  95. Seychelles
  96. Uganda
  97. Oceania (2)
  98. Federated States of Micronesia
  99. New Caledonia
  100. South America (9)
  101. Bolivia
  102. Ecuador
  103. Falkland Islands
  104. French Guiana 2016
  105. Guyana
  106. Paraguay
  107. Peru
  108. Suriname
  109. Venezuela

Intersex only

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is intersex only in 5 regions.

  1. Europe (3)
  2. Austria 2018
  3. Germany 2019
  4. Spain 2022
  5. Africa (1)
  6. Kenya 2022
  7. South America (1)
  8. Brazil 2021

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

Data on legal recognition of non-binary gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 108 regions.

  1. Asia (21)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Brunei
  5. Cambodia
  6. Hong Kong
  7. Iraq
  8. Israel
  9. Jordan
  10. Kyrgyzstan
  11. Laos
  12. Macau
  13. Maldives
  14. Mongolia
  15. Myanmar
  16. Palestine
  17. Singapore
  18. South Korea
  19. Timor-Leste
  20. Turkmenistan
  21. Vietnam
  22. Yemen
  23. Europe (4)
  24. Armenia
  25. Denmark
  26. Faroe Islands
  27. Vatican City
  28. North America (13)
  29. Bermuda
  30. British Virgin Islands
  31. Cayman Islands
  32. Costa Rica
  33. Curaçao
  34. Dominica
  35. Greenland
  36. Grenada
  37. Mexico
  38. Montserrat
  39. Sint Maarten
  40. Turks and Caicos Islands
  41. United States
  42. Africa (50)
  43. Algeria
  44. Benin
  45. Botswana
  46. British Indian Ocean Territory
  47. Burkina Faso
  48. Burundi
  49. Cameroon
  50. Cape Verde
  51. Central African Republic
  52. Chad
  53. Comoros
  54. Côte d’Ivoire
  55. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  56. Djibouti
  57. Equatorial Guinea
  58. Eritrea
  59. Eswatini
  60. Ethiopia
  61. Gabon
  62. Gambia
  63. Ghana
  64. Guinea
  65. Guinea-Bissau
  66. Lesotho
  67. Liberia
  68. Madagascar
  69. Malawi
  70. Mali
  71. Mauritius
  72. Mayotte
  73. Morocco
  74. Mozambique
  75. Namibia
  76. Niger
  77. Nigeria
  78. Republic of the Congo
  79. Rwanda
  80. Saint Helena
  81. Sao Tome and Principe
  82. Senegal
  83. Sierra Leone
  84. Somalia
  85. South Sudan
  86. Sudan
  87. Tanzania
  88. Togo
  89. Tunisia
  90. Western Sahara
  91. Zambia
  92. Zimbabwe
  93. Oceania (20)
  94. Christmas Island
  95. Cocos
  96. Cook Islands
  97. Fiji
  98. French Polynesia
  99. Kiribati
  100. Marshall Islands
  101. Nauru
  102. Niue
  103. Norfolk Island
  104. Palau
  105. Papua New Guinea
  106. Pitcairn Islands
  107. Samoa
  108. Solomon Islands
  109. Tokelau
  110. Tonga
  111. Tuvalu
  112. Vanuatu
  113. Wallis and Futuna

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