Legal recognition of non-binary gender
16 countries and territories legally recognize non-binary or third gender identities.
- 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
Progress over time
Recent changes
- SpainIntersex onlyDec 22, 2022
- Hidalgo, MexicoRecognizedNov 3, 2022
- ChileRecognizedOct 14, 2022
- KenyaIntersex onlyJul 1, 2022
- Vermont, United StatesRecognizedJun 26, 2022
- Quebec, CanadaRecognizedJun 17, 2022
- Bahia, BrazilRecognizedMay 12, 2022
- Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilRecognizedApr 29, 2022
- Santa Catarina, BrazilRecognizedApr 23, 2022
- Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRecognizedApr 5, 2022
Legal recognition of non-binary gender by country
(and dependent territories)Recognized
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is recognized in 16 regions.
- North America (1)
- Canada 2017
- Africa (1)
- South Africa 2021
- Antarctica (1)
- Antarctica
Not legally recognized
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is not legally recognized in 103 regions.
- Asia (21)
- Afghanistan
- China
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- North Korea
- Oman
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia 1932
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Europe (42)
- Albania
- Andorra
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- France 2016
- Georgia
- Greece 2018
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Italy
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- North America (22)
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Guadeloupe
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Martinique 2016
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- South America (9)
- Bolivia
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana 2016
- Guyana
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Venezuela
Intersex only
Legal recognition of non-binary gender is intersex only in 5 regions.
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.
- Asia (21)
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Hong Kong
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Macau
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Palestine
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Timor-Leste
- Turkmenistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- North America (13)
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Costa Rica
- Curaçao
- Dominica
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Mexico
- Montserrat
- Sint Maarten
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United States
- Africa (50)
- Algeria
- Benin
- Botswana
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Saint Helena
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Western Sahara
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
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