Legal recognition of non-binary gender

16 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

16
Recognized
16 regions (8%)
Recognized
4
Some recognition
4 regions (2%)
Some recognition
173
Not recognized
173 regions (87%)
Not recognized
5
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
5 regions (3%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
10%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
5 regions (10%)
Some recognition
1 regions (2%)
Not recognized
43 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
1 regions (7%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
12 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (7%)
South America
25%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (25%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
8 regions (67%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
13%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (13%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
19 regions (83%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (4%)
Africa
0%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
regions (0%)
Some recognition
3 regions (6%)
Not recognized
51 regions (94%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (9%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
40 regions (91%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
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

2025

2024

2023

Legal recognition of non-binary gender by Country

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 2023
  6. Europe (5)
  7. Denmark 2014
  8. Germany 2024
  9. Iceland 2019
  10. Malta 2017
  11. Netherlands 2018
  12. North America (3)
  13. Canada 2019
  14. Costa Rica 2022
  15. United States 2025
  16. Oceania (1)
  17. New Zealand 2012
  18. South America (3)
  19. Argentina 2021
  20. Chile 2022
  21. Colombia 2022

Intersex only

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

  1. Europe (1)
  2. Austria 2018
  3. Africa (3)
  4. Kenya 2022
  5. Mauritius 2021
  6. Morocco 2021

Not legally recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is not legally recognized in 173 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
  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 (43)
  43. Albania
  44. Andorra
  45. Armenia
  46. Azerbaijan
  47. Belarus
  48. Belgium
  49. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  50. Bulgaria
  51. Croatia
  52. Cyprus
  53. Czechia
  54. Estonia
  55. Finland
  56. France 2016
  57. Georgia
  58. Greece
  59. Hungary
  60. Ireland
  61. Italy 2024
  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. Sweden
  81. Switzerland
  82. Turkey
  83. Ukraine
  84. United Kingdom
  85. Vatican City
  86. North America (19)
  87. Antigua and Barbuda
  88. Bahamas
  89. Barbados
  90. Belize
  91. Cuba
  92. Dominica
  93. Dominican Republic
  94. El Salvador
  95. Grenada
  96. Guatemala
  97. Haiti
  98. Honduras
  99. Jamaica
  100. Nicaragua
  101. Panama
  102. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  103. Saint Lucia
  104. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  105. Trinidad and Tobago
  106. Africa (51)
  107. Algeria
  108. Angola
  109. Benin
  110. Botswana
  111. Burkina Faso
  112. Burundi
  113. Cameroon
  114. Cape Verde
  115. Central African Republic
  116. Chad
  117. Comoros
  118. Côte d’Ivoire
  119. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  120. Djibouti
  121. Egypt
  122. Equatorial Guinea
  123. Eritrea
  124. Eswatini
  125. Ethiopia
  126. Gabon
  127. Gambia
  128. Ghana
  129. Guinea
  130. Guinea-Bissau
  131. Lesotho
  132. Liberia
  133. Libya
  134. Madagascar
  135. Malawi
  136. Mali
  137. Mauritania
  138. Mozambique
  139. Namibia
  140. Niger
  141. Nigeria
  142. Republic of the Congo
  143. Rwanda
  144. Sao Tome and Principe
  145. Senegal
  146. Seychelles
  147. Sierra Leone
  148. Somalia
  149. South Africa
  150. South Sudan
  151. Sudan
  152. Tanzania
  153. Togo
  154. Tunisia
  155. Uganda
  156. Zambia
  157. Zimbabwe
  158. Oceania (12)
  159. Federated States of Micronesia
  160. Fiji
  161. Kiribati
  162. Marshall Islands
  163. Nauru
  164. Palau
  165. Papua New Guinea
  166. Samoa
  167. Solomon Islands
  168. Tonga
  169. Tuvalu
  170. Vanuatu
  171. South America (8)
  172. Bolivia
  173. Ecuador
  174. Guyana
  175. Paraguay
  176. Peru
  177. Suriname
  178. Uruguay
  179. Venezuela

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on legal recognition of non-binary gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 5 regions.

  1. Europe (1)
  2. Spain Varies by Region
  3. North America (1)
  4. Mexico Varies by Region
  5. Oceania (1)
  6. Australia Varies by Region
  7. South America (1)
  8. Brazil Varies by Region
  9. Antarctica (1)
  10. Antarctica N/A

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