Legal recognition of non-binary gender

18 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

18
Recognized
18 regions (9%)
Recognized
4
Some recognition
4 regions (2%)
Some recognition
172
Not recognized
172 regions (87%)
Not recognized
3
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (2%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
8%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (8%)
Some recognition
2 regions (4%)
Not recognized
43 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
14%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
2 regions (14%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
12 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
25%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
3 regions (25%)
Some recognition
1 regions (8%)
Not recognized
8 regions (67%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
17%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (17%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
19 regions (83%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Africa
0%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
regions (0%)
Some recognition
1 regions (2%)
Not recognized
52 regions (98%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Asia
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Recognized
4 regions (9%)
Some recognition
regions (0%)
Not recognized
38 regions (86%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (5%)

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

2024

2023

2022

Legal recognition of non-binary gender by Country

Recognized

Legal recognition of non-binary gender is recognized in 18 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 (4)
  12. Canada 2019
  13. Costa Rica 2018
  14. Mexico 2023
  15. United States 2022
  16. Oceania (2)
  17. Australia 2011
  18. New Zealand 2012
  19. South America (3)
  20. Argentina 2021
  21. Chile 2022
  22. Colombia 2022
  23. Antarctica (1)
  24. 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 172 regions.

  1. Asia (38)
  2. Bahrain
  3. Bhutan
  4. Brunei
  5. Cambodia
  6. China
  7. Indonesia
  8. Iran
  9. Israel
  10. Japan
  11. Jordan
  12. Kazakhstan
  13. Kuwait
  14. Kyrgyzstan
  15. Laos
  16. Lebanon
  17. Malaysia
  18. Maldives
  19. Mongolia
  20. Myanmar
  21. North Korea
  22. Oman
  23. Palestine
  24. Philippines
  25. Qatar
  26. Saudi Arabia 1932
  27. Singapore
  28. South Korea
  29. Sri Lanka
  30. Syria
  31. Taiwan
  32. Tajikistan
  33. Thailand
  34. Timor-Leste
  35. Turkmenistan
  36. United Arab Emirates
  37. Uzbekistan
  38. Vietnam
  39. Yemen
  40. Europe (43)
  41. Albania
  42. Andorra
  43. Armenia
  44. Azerbaijan
  45. Belarus
  46. Belgium
  47. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  48. Bulgaria
  49. Croatia
  50. Cyprus
  51. Czech Republic
  52. Estonia
  53. Finland
  54. France 2016
  55. Georgia
  56. Greece 2018
  57. Hungary
  58. Ireland
  59. Italy
  60. Kosovo
  61. Latvia
  62. Liechtenstein
  63. Lithuania
  64. Luxembourg
  65. Moldova
  66. Monaco
  67. Montenegro
  68. North Macedonia
  69. Norway
  70. Poland
  71. Portugal
  72. Romania
  73. Russia 2023
  74. San Marino
  75. Serbia
  76. Slovakia
  77. Slovenia
  78. Sweden
  79. Switzerland
  80. Turkey
  81. Ukraine
  82. United Kingdom 2004
  83. Vatican City
  84. North America (19)
  85. Antigua and Barbuda
  86. Bahamas
  87. Barbados
  88. Belize
  89. Cuba
  90. Dominica
  91. Dominican Republic
  92. El Salvador
  93. Grenada
  94. Guatemala
  95. Haiti
  96. Honduras
  97. Jamaica
  98. Nicaragua
  99. Panama
  100. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  101. Saint Lucia
  102. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  103. Trinidad and Tobago
  104. Africa (52)
  105. Algeria
  106. Angola
  107. Benin
  108. Botswana
  109. Burkina Faso
  110. Burundi
  111. Cameroon
  112. Cape Verde
  113. Central African Republic
  114. Chad
  115. Comoros
  116. Côte d’Ivoire
  117. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  118. Djibouti
  119. Egypt
  120. Equatorial Guinea
  121. Eritrea
  122. Eswatini
  123. Ethiopia
  124. Gabon
  125. Gambia
  126. Ghana
  127. Guinea
  128. Guinea-Bissau
  129. Lesotho
  130. Liberia
  131. Libya 1951
  132. Madagascar
  133. Malawi
  134. Mauritania
  135. Mauritius
  136. Morocco
  137. Mozambique
  138. Namibia
  139. Niger
  140. Nigeria
  141. Republic of the Congo
  142. Rwanda
  143. Sao Tome and Principe
  144. Senegal
  145. Seychelles
  146. Sierra Leone
  147. Somalia 1960
  148. South Africa
  149. South Sudan
  150. Sudan
  151. Tanzania
  152. Togo
  153. Tunisia
  154. Uganda
  155. Zambia
  156. Zimbabwe
  157. Oceania (12)
  158. Federated States of Micronesia
  159. Fiji
  160. Kiribati
  161. Marshall Islands
  162. Nauru
  163. Palau
  164. Papua New Guinea
  165. Samoa
  166. Solomon Islands
  167. Tonga
  168. Tuvalu
  169. Vanuatu
  170. South America (8)
  171. Bolivia
  172. Ecuador
  173. Guyana
  174. Paraguay
  175. Peru
  176. Suriname
  177. Uruguay
  178. Venezuela

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on legal recognition of non-binary gender is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 3 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Iraq
  4. Europe (1)
  5. Spain Ambiguous

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