Legal recognition of non-binary gender

In 2022, Kenya passed the Children Act 2022, requiring an "I" gender marker for intersex people.^[17]

The Hijra of India are probably the most well known and populous third sex type in the modern world – Mumbai-based community health organization The Humsafar Trust estimates there are between 5 and 6 million hijras in India. In different areas they are known as Aravani/Aruvani or Jogappa. Often (somewhat misleadingly) called eunuchs in English, they may be born intersex or apparently male, dress in feminine clothes and generally see themselves as neither men nor women. Only eight percent of hijras visiting Humsafar clinics are nirwaan (castrated). Indian photographer Dayanita Singh writes about her friendship with a Hijra, Mona Ahmed, and their two different societies' beliefs about gender: "When I once asked her if she would like to go to Singapore for a sex change operation, she told me, 'You really do not understand. I am the third sex, not a man trying to be a woman. It is your society's problem that you only recognize two sexes.'"^[18] Hijra social movements have campaigned for recognition as a third sex,^[19] and in 2005, Indian passport application forms were updated with three gender options: M, F, and E (for male, female, and eunuch, respectively).^[20] Some Indian languages such as Sanskrit have three gender 'options'— specifically masculine, feminine and neuter forms of nouns.

In November 2009, India agreed to list eunuchs and transgender people as "others", distinct from males and females, in voting rolls and voter identity cards.^[3] On April 15, 2014, the Supreme Court of India recognized a third gender that is neither male nor female, and as a class entitled to reservation in education and jobs, stating "Recognition of transgenders as a third gender is not a social or medical issue but a human rights issue." This verdict made India one of the few countries to give this landmark judgment.^[21][22]

In addition to the feminine role of hijras, which is widespread across the subcontinent, a few occurrences of institutionalized "female masculinity" have been noted in modern India. Among the Gaddhi in the foothills of the Himalayas, some girls adopt a role as a sadhin, renouncing marriage, and dressing and working as men, but retaining female names and pronouns.^[23] A late-nineteenth century anthropologist noted the existence of a similar role in Madras, that of the basivi.^[24] However, historian Walter Penrose concludes that in both cases "their status is perhaps more 'transgendered' than 'third-gendered.'"^[25]

In April 2014, Justice KS Radhakrishnan, of Supreme Court of India declared transgender to be the third gender in Indian law, in a case brought by the National Legal Services Authority (Nalsa) against Union of India and others.^[26][27][28] The ruling said:^[29]

Seldom, our society realizes or cares to realize the trauma, agony and pain which the members of Transgender community undergo, nor appreciates the innate feelings of the members of the Transgender community, especially of those whose mind and body disown their biological sex. Our society often ridicules and abuses the Transgender community and in public places like railway stations, bus stands, schools, workplaces, malls, theatres, hospitals, they are sidelined and treated as untouchables, forgetting the fact that the moral failure lies in the society's unwillingness to contain or embrace different gender identities and expressions, a mindset which we have to change.

El juez Radhakrishnan afirmó que las personas transgénero deben recibir un trato coherente con el de otras minorías ante la ley, lo que les permite acceder a empleos, atención médica y educación. ^{[ 30 ]} Planteó la cuestión como una cuestión de derechos humanos, diciendo que: «Estas personas transgénero, aunque insignificantes en número, siguen siendo seres humanos y, por lo tanto, tienen todo el derecho a disfrutar de sus derechos humanos», concluyendo al declarar que:

1. Las hijras y los eunucos , aparte del género binario, deben ser tratados como un "tercer género" a efectos de salvaguardar sus derechos en virtud de la Parte III de nuestra Constitución y las leyes promulgadas por el Parlamento y la Legislatura Estatal.
2. También se respeta el derecho de las personas transgénero a decidir su género autoidentificado y se ordena al Gobierno central y a los gobiernos estatales que otorguen reconocimiento legal a su identidad de género, ya sea masculina, femenina o de tercer género. ^{[ 29 ]}

En Japón, el género no binario no está reconocido legalmente. Los documentos oficiales, como los certificados de nacimiento y los documentos de identidad, exigen que las personas indiquen su género en binario.

Un residente extranjero con pasaporte extranjero que tenga una "X" en el campo de género verá esto reflejado en su tarjeta de residencia. En este caso, el campo de género de la tarjeta de residencia se dejará en blanco, con la indicación "Género X" en el reverso de la tarjeta. ^{[ 31 ]}

On 27 December 2007, the Supreme Court of Nepal issued a decision mandating that the government scrap all laws that discriminated based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity and establish a committee to study same-sex marriage policy.^[32] The court also established a third-gender category.^[32]Nepalese official documents afford citizens three gender options: male, female, and "others".^[32] This may include people who present or perform as a gender that is different from the one that was assigned to them at birth.^[32] Nepal's 2011 census was the first national census in the world to allow people to register as a gender other than male or female.^[32] However, it was reported that "logistical problems, discrimination on the part of census-takers, and fear among some third genders" were interfering with the process, and eventually the census was published only listing male and female, leaving non-binary people outside or forcing them in a gender that was not their own.^[33] The 2007 supreme court decision ordered the government to issue citizenship ID cards that allowed "third-gender" or "other" to be listed.^[32] The court also ordered that the only requirements to identify as third-gender would be the person's own self-identification.

"Legal provisions should be made to provide for gender identity to the people of transgender or third gender, under which female third gender, male third gender and intersexual are grouped, as per the concerned person's self-feeling"^[34]

More recent material indicates that this third option is not available to intersex persons.^[35]

In Pakistan, the polite term is khwaja sara or "khwaja sira" (Urdu: خواجه سرا), as hijra and khusra are considered derogatory by the khawaja sara community and human rights activists in Pakistan.^[36][37] As most of Pakistan's official government and business documents are in English, the term "third gender" has been chosen to represent individuals (either male or female, neither, and/or both) that identify themselves as, transsexual, transgender person, cross-dresser (zenana in Urdu), transvestite, and eunuchs (narnbans in Urdu).^[38][39]

In June 2009, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered a census of khawaja sara, who number between 80,000^[40] and 300,000 in Pakistan.^[41] In December 2009, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, ordered that the National Database and Registration Authority^[40] issue national identity cards to members of the community showing their distinct gender.^[41][42] "It's the first time in the 62-year history of Pakistan that such steps are being taken for our welfare", Almas Bobby, a khawaja sara association's president, said to Reuters, "It's a major step towards giving us respect and identity in society. We are slowly getting respect in society. Now people recognize that we are also human beings."^[41]

The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has started issuing national identity cards to khawaja Sara (trans) population in Pakistan. This is the first time in countries history, and a major change.

In January 2018, it was announced that plans to introduce a third gender option on identification documents, such as passports and the National Identification cards, would be implemented in the near future. In November 2018, Chen Mei-ling, the Minister of the National Development Council, announced that these plans come into effect in 2020.^[43][44]

Also commonly referred to as a third sex are the kathoeys (or "ladyboys") of Thailand.^[45] These are people whose assigned sex was male who identify and live as female. A significant number of Thais perceive kathoeys as belonging to a third gender, including many kathoeys themselves; others see them as second-category women.^[46] Thai persons assigned male at birth undergoing sex-change operations are not uncommon occurrences, but they are still regarded as men on their identification documents. Despite this, Thai society remains one of the world's most tolerant towards kathoeys or the third gender.^[47] Researcher Sam Winter writes:

We asked our 190 [kathoeys] to say whether they thought of themselves as men, women, sao praphet song ["a second kind of woman"] or kathoey. None thought of themselves as male, and only 11 percent saw themselves as kathoey (i.e. 'non-male'). By contrast 45 percent thought of themselves as women, with another 36 percent as sao praphet song... Unfortunately we did not include the category phet tee sam (third sex/gender); conceivably if we had done so there may have been many respondents who would have chosen that term... Around 50 percent [of non-transgender Thais] see them as males with the mistaken minds, but the other half see them as either women born into the wrong body (around 15 percent) or as a third sex/gender (35 percent).^[46]

In 2004, the Chiang Mai Technology School allocated a separate lavatory for kathoeys, with an intertwined male and female symbol on the door. The 15 kathoey students are required to wear male clothing at school but are allowed to sport feminine hairdos. The restroom features four stalls, but no urinals.^[48]

Although Kathoeys are still not fully respected, they are gradually gaining acceptance and have made themselves a very distinct part of the Thai society. This is especially true in the entertainment, business, and fashion industries in Thailand, where the Kathoeys play significant roles in leadership and management positions. In addition, Kathoeys or second-category-women are very sought after when businesses are hiring salespeople. In many job posts, it is common to see companies state that second-category-women are preferred as their sales force because they are generally seen as more charismatic and expressive individuals.^[49]

On 15 June 2018, the Austrian Constitutional Court reached a decision, published in a news release on 29 June, that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights guarantees recognition of gender identity beyond the binary male or female, and that people with a variation in gender development other than male or female must be allowed to leave a gender entry empty and must be allowed to have a positive other entry implemented. They also found that current law is not in contradiction to these requirements, and can be interpreted in a way that is conformant to the constitutional right of recognition of gender identity via Article 8 of the ECHR. The Court ruled that the national interests listed in Article 8.1 ECHR do not outweigh the very sensible interest of an individual to recognition of their personal life, including gender identity, and that other laws can be adapted if needed. The Court indicate that administrative bodies may require proof of the adequacy of a change to an entry and the relation to a person's actual social life, and that Article 8.1 ECHR does not establish a right to arbitrarily named entries. They have not decided on a specific name a third gender option should have, but cite recommendations as "divers", "inter", "offen".

^[50]Alex Jürgen, an intersex activist, fought for their right to have a non-binary option in their passport and was the first person in Austria to receive it.

Options besides male and female are only available for intersex people, who are required to provide medical records to prove their sex.^[51][52]

Each year at least 35 children in Austria are reported to be born with ambiguous sex characteristics. Surgical interventions on intersex children, to make them fit one of the binary sex characteristics, are criticized by Verein Intergeschlechtliche Menschen Österreich (VIMÖ), an Austrian association fighting for the rights of intersex people. They demand that children should be free to decide on these matters when they are grown up. Johannes Wahala, president of the Austrian Society For Sexologies and head of Beratungsstelle Courage advice center in Graz condemns these operations and wishes for the introduction of a third gender.^[53]

On December 18, 2025, the Austrian Constitutional Court ruled that Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights prevents the civil registry office from restricting their register to only male and female identities. The court found that the subject's self-identification was the principle guiding requests to alter or remove male and female markers, thus striking down the administrative practice of requiring medical proof. ^[54][55]

In June 2019, the Constitutional Court of Belgium struck down certain parts of the country's 2017 transgender law. The proceedings against the law were initiated by LGBT rights organizations, who argued that the law still discriminated against people with a non-binary or genderfluid identity, because it still only allowed people to register as either "male" or "female". The Constitutional Court agreed with the action brought against the law, and found the contested provisions to be discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional. Though the Court suggested a few ways in which to remedy the unconstitutional aspects, such as "the creation of one or more additional categories" or "the possibility to remove the registration of sex or gender as an element of a person's civil status", it also stressed that the responsibility to remediate the law's shortcomings remained with the legislature.^[56][57][58]

The De Croo Government, Belgium's federal government which took office in October 2020, announced plans to introduce the possibility to register under the gender identifier "X", in order to address the judgment of the Constitutional Court. This was expressed by the new minister of Justice in the De Croo Government, Vincent Van Quickenborne, in November 2020.^[59][60] This proposition was rejected in favor of erasing any mention of gender on identity cards (which appeared in 2003^[61]), while the National Registry will still mention the assigned gender at birth. The law will be effective in 2022.^[62][63]

According to comment by Transgender Europe, Danish citizens (including Greenlandic- and Faroese nationals) have been issued passport with option 'X' upon application, without medical requirements.^[64] However, it follows from the Danish Passport Regulations ^[65][66][67] that persons with even personal identification numbers receive the gender marker "F" and persons with odd personal identification numbers the gender marker "M" (§ 4(4)), with the only exception that persons who have not (yet) had an official gender change but to whom the National Hospital's Sexological Clinic has certified that they are transsexual can obtain the gender marker "X" (§ 4(5)). Accordingly, legal gender remains binary in Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands) and only transsexual people without a legal gender change can obtain an X marker in their passport.

Germany is thought to be the first European country that recognizes "indeterminate" sex on birth certificates, which is represented by the absence of any gender marker, from November 2013. A report by the German Ethics Council stated that the law was passed because "Many people who were subjected to a 'normalizing' operation in their childhood have later felt it to have been a mutilation and would never have agreed to it as adults."^[68] Deutsche Welle reported that an "indeterminate" 'option' was made available for the birth certificates of intersex infants with ambiguous genitalia on 1 November 2013.^[68] The move is controversial with many intersex advocates in Germany and elsewhere suggesting that it might encourage surgical interventions, or simply fails to address the key health concerns of intersex people.^{[68][69][70][71]} On 21 January 2015, the CelleCourt of Appeals confirmed in a judgment^[72] that intersex people cannot obtain a gender marker other than "female" or "male" in their birth certificate, but only the absence of any such marker. The court held at the same time that even an adult intersex person who was registered with a gender marker at birth can obtain the deletion of that gender marker. This judgment was sent for review by the Federal Court of Justice.^[1]

El 8 de noviembre de 2017, el Tribunal Constitucional Federal publicó un comunicado de prensa sobre su fallo del 10 de octubre de 2017, que favorece una opción positiva de tercer género en lugar de no incluirla. ^{[ 73 ]} El 15 de agosto de 2018, el gobierno alemán aprobó un proyecto de ley que permite una opción de tercer género en los certificados de nacimiento para bebés que no son claramente varones o mujeres. ^{[ 74 ]} El 22 de diciembre de 2018, la ley de tercer género aprobada entró en vigor, permitiendo a las personas intersexuales elegir (tanto al nacer como en una edad posterior) entre "mujer", "hombre", "diverso" y ningún marcador de género. En caso de un cambio posterior en la vida, también se pueden cambiar los nombres de pila. ^{[ 75 ]} Para cambiar el marcador y/o los nombres según esta ley, se requiere un certificado médico, pero no se especifica qué tipo de "variación del desarrollo de género" se requiere para la ley. ^{[ 76 ]} Por lo tanto, las personas no binarias no intersexuales han utilizado esta ley para cambiar sus marcadores y nombres, ya que médicos de confianza los aprueban y emiten la nota requerida. Mientras tanto, un tribunal de apelaciones sostuvo que el estatus no binario también debe estar disponible para las personas no binarias no intersexuales; la ley adoptada no aborda esta categoría de personas y, por lo tanto, su situación permaneció inicialmente incierta a la espera de jurisprudencia adicional. ^{[ 77 ]} El 22 de abril de 2020, el Tribunal Federal de Justicia dictaminó que, para obtener el estatus no binario, estas personas deben seguir el procedimiento establecido en la legislación sobre transexualidad que se aplica por analogía, después de lo cual también pueden elegir entre "diverso" y ningún marcador de género. ^{[ 78 ]}

El 12 de abril de 2024, el Bundestag aprobó la Ley de Autodeterminación ( en alemán : Gesetz über die Selbstbestimmung in Bezug auf den Geschlechtseintrag (SBGG) ). Esta ley permite a todos los ciudadanos alemanes cambiar tanto su género como sus nombres mediante una declaración en la oficina de registro civil. ^{[ 79 ]} Además de las opciones binarias «Masculino» y «Femenino», se puede elegir la opción «diverso». ^{[ 79 ]} También se puede eliminar por completo la opción de género. ^{[ 79 ]} Tanto la opción «diverso» como la ausencia de género se representan con la letra «X» en los pasaportes. Cabe destacar que cualquier ciudadano puede realizar esta declaración en la oficina de registro civil sin necesidad de cumplir requisitos médicos o legales adicionales, tras notificarlo con tres meses de antelación. ^{[ 79 ]} El 1 de noviembre de 2024 entró en vigor la Ley de Autodeterminación, que derogó la Ley de Transexualidad (LT) y modificó la Ley del Tercer Género para permitir el reconocimiento legal de las personas no intersexuales y no binarias como "diversas". Las personas de entre 14 y 18 años pueden cambiar su género en documentos gubernamentales en presencia de sus padres. Si los padres no aprueban el cambio, el menor puede acudir a un tribunal de familia. En el caso de menores de 14 años, los tutores legales están autorizados a modificar la designación de género del menor. Esto requiere el consentimiento del menor a partir de los 5 años. ^{[ 80 ]}

El 18 de noviembre de 2025, el Tribunal Regional Superior de Fráncfort dictaminó que es aceptable que una persona no binaria sea tratada como «Señor» en las cartas enviadas por la administración. El demandante había alegado que era inaceptable ser tratado como «Señor» o «Señora». El tribunal concluyó que el tratamiento como tratamiento es simplemente una expresión de cortesía, que no pretende resolver ningún problema legal. La decisión es inapelable. ^{[ 81 ]}

En junio de 2019, el Parlamento islandés votó 45-0 a favor de un proyecto de ley para implementar una ley modelo progresista de "autodeterminación y cambio de género", similar a la de numerosos países europeos y sudamericanos. El proyecto de ley incluye una tercera opción de género denominada "X" en los documentos oficiales. ^{[ 82 ] [ 83 ] [ 84 ] [ 85 ]} La ley entró en vigor el 1 de enero de 2020. ^{[ 86 ]}

Malta was the first European country to offer an 'X' on ID cards and passports of non-binary people. This law was introduced in September 2017. ^[87] In July 2024, legislation was officially passed by the Parliament of Malta to implement a non-binary option alongside male and female on an individual’s birth certificate and went into effect in September 2024. Previously, a birth certificate could only list male or female within Malta.^[88]

In May 2018, Leonne Zeegers was the first Dutch citizen to receive the "X" marked gender on the passport instead of "male" or "female".^[89] Leonne, then 57, was born intersex and raised male, before having gender reassignment surgery and become female, but still identifies as an intersex person. Leonne won a court case which meant that preventing someone from registering officially as gender neutral is a "violation of private life, self-determination and personal autonomy". It will, however, still be the decision of the court on whether the "X" will be issued on anyone's passport in the future. The ruling opened doors for Dutch LGBT groups to ask the government for anyone to be able to identify as gender neutral in the future.^[90]

In May 2023, Andrea Speck, a German-born resident of Seville, won a court case in which the High Court of Justice of Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla ordered the Ministry of the Interior to recognize them as nonbinary in the Central Registry of Foreign Nationals.^[91][92] In January 2024, the Directorate-General for Migration Management, an office under the Secretary of State for Migration, amended official forms and documentation, including NIE numbers, to allow for a nonbinary gender option for foreign-born nationals whose nonbinary gender is legally recognized by their country of origin.^[93] In April 2025, a bill to legalize a nonbinary gender in the Civil Registry and ban non-consensual medical interventions on the bodies of intersex people was filed in the Cortes Generales by Sumar.^[94][95]

The title "Mx." is widely accepted in the United Kingdom by government organisations and businesses as an alternative for non-binary people^[96] while the HESA allows the use of non-binary gender markers for students in higher education.^[97] In 2015 early day motion EDM660 was registered with Parliament.^[98] EDM660 calls for citizens to be permitted access to the X marker on passports. When the text of EDM660 came to light in 2016 a formal petition was launched through the Parliamentary Petitions Service calling for EDM660 to be passed into law.^[99][100]

In September 2015 the Ministry of Justice responded to a petition calling for self-determination of legal gender, saying that they were not aware of "any specific detriment" experienced by nonbinary people unable to have their genders legally recognised.^[101] In January 2016 the Trans Inquiry Report by the Women and Equalities Committee called for nonbinary people to be protected from discrimination under the Equality Act, for the X gender marker to be added to passports, and for a wholesale review into the needs of nonbinary people by the government within six months.^[102] This did not happen. In June 2018 the British High Court ruled against a bid for passports to have an X marker.^[103]

El Gobierno escocés llevó a cabo una consulta pública sobre las reformas a la Ley de Reconocimiento de Género de 2004 (GRA) del 9 de noviembre de 2017 al 1 de marzo de 2018. ^{[ 104 ]} La GRA de 2004 establece el proceso legal mediante el cual una persona puede cambiar su género legalmente reconocido. El análisis de la consulta explica que el 60% de quienes respondieron a la pregunta, estuvo de acuerdo con la propuesta de introducir un sistema de autodeclaración para el reconocimiento legal de género. El punto 66 del documento de análisis dice: "Una mayoría de los encuestados, el 62% de quienes respondieron a la pregunta, pensó que Escocia debería tomar medidas para reconocer a las personas no binarias. Del resto de los encuestados, el 33% no pensó que Escocia debería tomar medidas y el 4% no sabía". ^{[ 105 ]} Se propondrá un proyecto de ley para reformar la GRA de 2004 a finales de 2019. Sin embargo, en su hoja informativa, el Gobierno escocés dice que no extenderá el reconocimiento legal de género a las personas no binarias. En cambio, pretenden crear un grupo de trabajo para considerar qué más se podría hacer para fomentar la inclusión de las personas no binarias en la sociedad. ^{[ 106 ]}

En marzo de 2020, un juez dictaminó que la falta de un marcador de género no binario en los pasaportes emitidos por el Reino Unido era legal "por ahora", pero señaló que "si la tendencia internacional hacia un reconocimiento oficial más generalizado de la identidad "no binaria" continúa, entonces en algún momento futuro, la negación podría constituir una violación de los derechos humanos". ^{[ 107 ]}

El 14 de julio de 2020, Día Internacional de las Personas No Binarias, ^{[ 108 ]} la diputada Christine Jardine presentó un proyecto de ley de iniciativa privada, respaldado por la organización benéfica LGBT Stonewall UK, ante la Cámara de los Comunes, solicitando la opción de incluir una marca de género X en los pasaportes emitidos por el Reino Unido para las personas no binarias. ^{[ 109 ]} Su segunda lectura estaba prevista para enero de 2021, ^{[ 110 ] [ 111 ]} sin embargo, el proyecto de ley no logró completar su tramitación durante esa sesión parlamentaria y, por lo tanto, no avanzará más. ^{[ 112 ]}

El 14 de septiembre de 2020, un tribunal laboral dictaminó que un empleado no binario estaba protegido por la característica de reasignación de género de la Ley de Igualdad de 2010, la primera confirmación legal de que las personas no binarias están protegidas por la Ley. ^{[ 113 ] [ 114 ]}

In May 2021, the UK government rejected a petition calling for the legal recognition of non-binary as a gender identity.^[115] Over 130,000 people signed the petition,^[116] which stated allowing non-binary as a gender identity would ease gender dysphoria and protect non-binary people from transphobic hate crimes.^[115] Despite 58% of respondents agreeing that a non-binary identity should be recognised in a 2018 consultation on the GRA,^[117] the government stated in their response that there were no plans to extend the GRA, saying that to do so would have "complex practical consequences".^[118]

In December 2021, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom issued judgment in the case of R (Christie Elan-Cane) v Secretary of State for the Home Department ruling against recognition of non-binary gender. The court's judgment ruled that the European Convention on Human Rights did not require states to issue an "X" option for passports and that there was "no legislation in the United Kingdom which recognises a non-gendered category of individuals." The appellant, Elan-Cane, pledged to appeal the ruling to the European Court of Human Rights.^[119]

In January 2024, judges at the High Court in London ruled that, "We have decided that whenever the Gender Recognition Act refers to ‘gender’ it refers to a binary concept – that is, to male, or to female gender. The GRP [Gender Recognition Panel] accordingly, had and has no power to issue a gender recognition certificate to the claimant which says that they are ‘non-binary’."^[120]

Informado por primera vez en enero de 2003, los australianos pueden elegir "X" como su género o sexo . Se cree que Alex MacFarlane fue la primera persona en Australia en obtener un certificado de nacimiento que registraba el sexo como indeterminado, y el primer pasaporte australiano con un marcador de sexo "X" en 2003. ^{[ 121 ] [ 122 ] [ 123 ] [ 124 ] [ 125 ]} El periódico West Australian afirmó que esto se basó en una impugnación de MacFarlane, utilizando un certificado de nacimiento indeterminado emitido por el estado de Victoria. Otras personas que se sabe que tuvieron opciones tempranas similares incluyen a Tony Briffa de la Organización Intersex International Australia y ex alcalde de la ciudad de Hobsons Bay , Victoria , reconocido anteriormente como el primer funcionario público y alcalde abiertamente intersexual del mundo. ^{[ 126 ] [ 127 ] [ 128 ]}

La política gubernamental entre 2003 y 2011 consistía en expedir pasaportes con una marca «X» a las personas que pudieran «presentar un certificado de nacimiento que indicara su sexo como indeterminado». ^{[ 125 ] [ 129 ]} En 2011, la Oficina de Pasaportes de Australia introdujo nuevas directrices para la expedición de pasaportes con un nuevo género y amplió la disponibilidad de la descripción «X» a todas las personas con sexo «indeterminado» documentado. ^{[ 130 ] [ 131 ]} La política revisada establecía que «la cirugía de reasignación de sexo no es un requisito previo para expedir un pasaporte con un nuevo género. No es necesario modificar los certificados de nacimiento o de ciudadanía». ^{[ 132 ]}

Las directrices de la Commonwealth australiana sobre el reconocimiento del sexo y el género, publicadas en junio de 2013, extendieron el uso del marcador de género «X» a cualquier adulto que elija esa opción, en todas las gestiones con el gobierno de la Commonwealth y sus agencias. Esta opción se está implementando a lo largo de un período de tres años. Las directrices también aclaran que el gobierno federal recopila datos sobre el género , no sobre el sexo . ^{[ 133 ]} En marzo de 2014, el Territorio de la Capital Australiana introdujo una clasificación «X» para los certificados de nacimiento. ^{[ 134 ]}

Norrie May-Welby is popularly – but erroneously – often regarded as the first person in the world to obtain officially indeterminate, unspecified or "genderless" status.^[4][5][135] May-Welby became the first transgender person in Australia to pursue a legal status of neither a man nor a woman, in 2010.^[4][5][136] In April 2014, the High Court of Australia ruled that NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages must record in the register that the sex of May-Welby is "non-specific".^[137] The Court found that sex affirmation "surgery did not resolve her[sic] sexual ambiguity".^[138]

An alliance of organizations including the National LGBTI Health Alliance, Organisation Intersex International Australia and Transgender Victoria has called for X to be redefined as non-binary.^[139]

In March 2017, an Australian and Aotearoa/New Zealand community statement called for an end to legal classification of sex, stating that legal third classifications, like binary classifications, were based on structural violence and failed to respect diversity and a "right to self-determination".^[15][16]

In April 2019, Tasmania became the first state or territory in Australia to make sex or gender identifiers in birth certificates optional and providing for official definitions for 'sex' and 'gender' (only 'sex' was defined before the reforms).^[140][141] The reform was legislated by a non-government coalition of MPs and adopted an 'opt-in' model for sex identification on birth certificates. However, a binary classification of sex (male or female, with no intersex/unspecified option) is still collected for medical purposes. Children born with ambiguous genitalia are given an additional 60 days to choose a sex for registration. The child's sex will be displayed on the birth certificate only if the parents choose to opt-in. The same reforms also allowed persons over the age of 16 to change their gender identity on official documentation – without a sex reassignment surgery or hormone replacement therapy – by providing a gender declaration.

Birth certificates are available at birth showing "indeterminate" sex if it is not possible to assign a sex. The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs states, "A person's sex can be recorded as indeterminate at the time of birth if it cannot be ascertained that the person is either male or female, and there are a number of people so recorded."^[142]

Passports are available from December 2012 with an 'X' sex descriptor, where "X" means "indeterminate/unspecified".^[143][144] These were originally introduced for people transitioning gender.^[145]

On 17 July 2015, Statistics New Zealand introduced the first version of a gender identity classification standard for statistical purposes.^[146][147] The current version of the standard was introduced in April 2021 with the option of three categories (male, female, or another gender) or five categories (cisgender male, cisgender female, transgender male, transgender female, or another gender).^[148]

In March 2017, an Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australian community statement called for an end to legal classification of sex, stating that legal third classifications, like binary classifications, were based on structural violence and failed to respect diversity and a "right to self-determination".^[15][16]

As of 2021, Canada distinguishes between sex and gender on the federal level.^[149] On August 31, 2017, the federal government of Canada became one of the first countries to allow citizens to chose between "F," "M," and "X," options on birth certificates and passports.^[150][151]

Since 2017, Ontario drivers have the option to display "X" as a gender identifier on their driver's licenses, or to not have any indicator on provincial identification.^[152] Ontario health cards do not carry a gender or sex marker,^[153] though a binary gender is still tracked for use in medical appointments.

In April 2017, a baby born in British Columbia, Searyl Atli Doty, became the first in the world known to be issued a health card with a gender-neutral "U" sex marker. The parent, Kori Doty, who is non-binarytransgender, wanted to give the child the opportunity to discover their own gender identity.^[154][155] The province has refused to issue a birth certificate to the child without specifying a gender; Doty has filed a legal challenge.^[155][156] Doty and seven other transgender and intersex people have filed a human rights complaint against the province, alleging that publishing gender markers on birth certificates is discriminatory.^[156]

In July 2017, the Northwest Territories began offering "X" as a non-binary option on birth certificates.^[157]

In July 2019, Nova Scotia began offering citizens the option to chose "X" as a sex indicator, or the option to not have any indicator on provincial identification.^[158]

A number of U.S. jurisdictions allow nonbinary gender markers on state identification documents, including birth certificates and driver's licenses.^[159]

From 2022 through January 20, 2025, an X option was also available on passports. At the beginning of the second Trump administration, federal documents no longer offered a nonbinary marker, and passport applications requesting the marker had been suspended,^[160] but previously issued passports using the gender marker "X" were stated to remain valid until their expiration date.^[161]

In June 2025, Massachusetts District JudgeJulia Kobick ruled in Orr v. Trump, in an expanded preliminary injunction, that the State Department must issue passports that matches one's gender identity, including "X"-gender designators and including those who had previously been issued a passport matching their assigned sex at birth.^[162][163] Later that year in November, the Supreme Court stayed the injunction until litigation concluded. As of June 2026, litigation is ongoing, meaning the State Department is again only issuing passports matching sex assigned at birth.^[161][164]

Por estado y territorio

A finales de 2016, Elisa Rae Shupe (Oregón) se convirtió en la primera persona en recibir el reconocimiento legal de un género no binario en los Estados Unidos tras un fallo de un tribunal estatal.

Anverso de una tarjeta de identificación de conductor de Nuevo México que muestra el designador de género 'X'.

En 2012, durante la presidencia de Cristina Fernández de Kirchner , Argentina promulgó la Ley de Identidad de Género , que permite a las personas transgénero identificarse con el género elegido en documentos oficiales sin necesidad de someterse a terapia hormonal , cirugía de reasignación de género ni asesoramiento psiquiátrico. ^{[ 247 ]} Por ello, los derechos de las personas transgénero en Argentina han sido reconocidos por muchos como algunos de los más progresistas del mundo. ^{[ 248 ]}

En noviembre de 2018, dos personas no binarias de la provincia de Mendoza se convirtieron en las primeras en obtener un documento de identidad y un certificado de nacimiento sin indicación de sexo. ^{[ 249 ]} A principios de 2019, a la activista trans Lara María Bertolini se le permitió cambiar su sexo oficial a la etiqueta no binaria transfemenina " feminidad travesti " ( en español : femeninidad travesti ) mediante una resolución judicial que se consideró un hito para el movimiento travesti. La jueza Myriam Cataldi dictaminó que la Ley de Identidad de Género se aplicaba al caso de Bertolini, citando la definición de "identidad de género" de la ley como: "la experiencia interna e individual del género tal como cada persona la siente, que puede o no corresponder al sexo asignado al nacer, incluyendo la experiencia personal del cuerpo". ^{[ 250 ]}

On 20 July 2021, President Alberto Fernández signed a decree (Decreto 476/2021) mandating the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER) to allow a third gender option on all national identity cards and passports, marked as an "X". The measure applies to non-citizen permanent residents who possess Argentine identity cards as well.^[251] In compliance with the 2012 Gender Identity Law, this made Argentina the first country in South America to legally recognize non-binary gender on all official documentation, freely and upon the person's request.^{[252][253][254]}

The far right administration that came to power in 2023 is planning to withdraw this recognition in 2024.^[255]

There is no recognition of a third gender option nationwide, but since 2020 non-binary and intersex people have been getting court authorizations to register their sex as "unspecified", "non-identified", "intersex",^[256] or "non-binary" in the civil registry.^{[257][258][259][260]}

For the purpose of filling out and printing the Identity Card, the gender field must follow the ICAO standardization, with 1 character, M, F or X (for non-binary people). Since January 11, 2024, issuing bodies in the States and the Federal District have been obliged to adopt these Identity Card standards established by the Federal Government. The information in the gender field can be self-determined and self-declared by the person when filling in the data, at the Identification Institutes. In the current context, of the 3,502,816 IDs issued, there are 192 National Identity Cards, that is, 0.0005% defined in the gender field as "X".^[261][262]

Al solicitar un nuevo pasaporte , los brasileños pueden seleccionar un sexo no especificado. Según la Policía Federal , organismo responsable de la emisión de pasaportes brasileños, en respuesta al requisito de acceso a la información registrada, la opción "no especificado" se implementó en el formulario de solicitud de pasaporte en 2007, con la introducción del "Nuevo Pasaporte", conocido popularmente como el "modelo de capa azul". Sin embargo, antes de eso, la opción ya existía y se declaraba en formularios impresos y mecanografiados en los antiguos cuadernos de "portada verde". Siguiendo la norma internacional, la opción "no especificado" se representa en el pasaporte con la letra X, en lugar de las letras M o F, para masculino o femenino, respectivamente. La opción de género que figura en el pasaporte debe reflejar la información expresada en el certificado de nacimiento u otro documento de identificación oficial. Es decir, siempre que la información expresada en el certificado sea diferente de "masculino" o "femenino", se utilizará la alternativa. El uso de la opción X, o "no especificado", proviene de la norma internacional OACI (Organización de Aviación Civil Internacional), que especifica la impresión del "Género del titular" mediante "el uso de la letra inicial comúnmente utilizada en el país de origen", siendo "la letra mayúscula F para femenino, M para masculino o X para no especificado". Seguir las normas de la OACI, entre otras cosas, es precisamente lo que confiere el reconocimiento de un pasaporte por otros países. ^{[ 263 ] [ 264 ]}

Desde el 12 de septiembre de 2021, por decisión del Consejo Nacional de Justicia , los notarios deben registrar a los niños intersexuales con el sexo omitido en los certificados de nacimiento. ^{[ 265 ] [ 266 ] [ 267 ] [ 268 ]}

El estado de Río de Janeiro , gracias al trabajo de la Defensoría Pública del Estado, ha permitido que las personas no binarias registren sus actas de nacimiento y documentos de identidad con el género "no binario" en lenguaje neutro en cuanto al género . ^{[ 269 ] [ 270 ]}

El 22 de abril de 2022, la Justicia de Rio Grande do Sul garantizó a las personas no binarias la posibilidad de cambiar su nombre y sexo en su partida de nacimiento, de acuerdo con su identidad autopercibida, independientemente de la autorización judicial, permitiendo incluir la expresión "no binario" en el campo de sexo previa solicitud de la persona interesada ante una notaría. ^{[ 271 ] [ 272 ]}

El 9 de mayo de 2022, Bahia Justice publicó una disposición que permite la inclusión del género “no binario” en el Registro Civil. ^{[ 273 ] [ 274 ]}

En 2023, Paraíba , Paraná , Tocantins y el Distrito Federal reconocieron marcadores de género no binarios. ^{[ 275 ] [ 276 ] [ 277 ] [ 278 ]} Sin embargo, en octubre de 2023, el Consejo Nacional de Justicia, a solicitud del TJES, emitió un documento que excluye "no binario" como marcador de género. El documento cita a Luiz Fux , quien afirmó que “(…) No hay un tercer género, ni es esta la afirmación”. ^{[ 279 ] [ 280 ]} En noviembre de 2023, el TJPR revocó el reconocimiento no binario, estableciendo que el derecho al reemplazo administrativo del nombre y sexo en el registro civil no cubre la posibilidad de ampliar los géneros, limitados a "masculino" y "femenino". ^{[ 281 ]} El TJRS, en diciembre de 2023, también revocó la disposición que reconocía la rectificación no binaria en el estado de Rio Grande do Sul. ^{[ 282 ]}

En enero de 2024, una acción civil pública del Tribunal Federal de Paraná determinó que la Receita Federal debe incluir las opciones "no especificado", "no binario" e "intersexual" en el campo de sexo del CPF , garantizando el derecho de rectificación a quienes estén interesados. ^{[ 283 ]}

El 6 de mayo de 2025, el Tribunal Superior de Justicia dictaminó que es posible rectificar el registro civil para incluir el género neutro. La decisión del Tribunal Superior solo afecta al demandante, pero sienta un precedente que puede seguirse en casos similares. ^{[ 284 ] [ 285 ]}

Una resolución del Tercer Juzgado de Familia de Santiago, emitida el 25 de abril de 2022, ordenó al Registro Civil y Servicio de Identificación que registrara a un adolescente de 17 años con género no binario en el acta de nacimiento, siendo la primera resolución judicial de este tipo en el país. ^{[ 334 ]} El 25 de mayo de 2022, el Primer Juzgado Civil de Santiago emitió una resolución reconociendo a una persona adulta como no binaria y ordenando al Registro Civil rectificar el acta de nacimiento, en la que aparecerá la marca "X" en lugar de "femenino o masculino". ^{[ 335 ] [ 336 ]} El 14 de octubre de 2022, el Registro Civil emitió oficialmente a Shane Cienfuegos el primer acta de identidad no binaria con la marca "X" en el país. En julio de 2022, la Decimotercera Sala de la Corte de Apelaciones de Santiago había fallado a favor de la solicitud de rectificar el acta de nacimiento para reconocer la identidad de género no binaria. ^{[ 337 ] [ 338 ]}

En febrero de 2022, la Corte Constitucional de Colombia dictaminó que una persona no binaria tenía derecho a un acta de nacimiento expedida por la Notaria Nacional de Medellín y a un documento nacional de identidad del Registro Civil con la anotación "no binario" o "NB" en el campo de sexo en ambos. La corte también ordenó al gobierno colombiano facilitar la inclusión de dicha anotación en los documentos de identidad y al Congreso modificar las leyes según fuera necesario para facilitar el reconocimiento legal de los derechos de las personas no binarias. ^{[ 339 ] [ 340 ]}

Desde el 19 de octubre de 2018, una nueva ley en Uruguay permite a las personas cambiar su género/sexo asignado al nacer de forma autodeterminada sin necesidad de presentar documentación médica. La ley también sienta las bases para la protección social, las medidas contra la discriminación, las cuotas y las reparaciones. ^{[ 341 ] [ 342 ]}

En la Ley 19.684, el artículo 4(C) reconoce explícitamente a las personas de género no binario en sus definiciones, y el artículo 6 garantiza el derecho a la corrección de la identificación legal sobre esta base. ^{[ 343 ]} Sin embargo, según la encuesta de personas no binarias de 2022 realizada por la Ciudad de Montevideo, una de las razones que influyen en que las personas no binarias no utilicen el procedimiento legal de cambio de género es porque no existe una opción de género no binario. ^{[ 344 ]}