How Legal Gender Change Is Allowed Or Restricted Around The World

A small number of countries have made it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender, while other nations have restricted such changes, notably Russia and Pakistan.

Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world.

Exception, not the rule 

According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), 24 UN member states have legally allowed people to change their gender on the basis of self-identification.

In about 40 other countries, the legal and administrative process can take years and may include requirements such as psychiatric diagnosis, hormone treatment, gender confirmation surgery or even sterilisation.

Making it easier 

Argentina has led the way on transgender rights, allowing a change of gender on national ID cards with a simple declaration since 2012. Several Latin American countries have followed suit.

Denmark was the first European country in 2014 to allow adults to apply for a gender change without undergoing medical or psychological assessments, with Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal and most recently Spain following suit.

Since 2017, France has allowed transgender people to change their status on their ID documents without treatment, surgery or sterilisation but they must receive court approval.

The issue of trans rights sparked a fierce row in 2022 in Scotland, where parliament passed a bill making it easier for people to self-identify their gender that was sensationally vetoed by London.

The German cabinet in August 2023 signed off plans under which Germans will be able to change their name or legal gender by making a simple application to their local registry office. The law still has to go to parliament.

Hesitating 

Sweden, one of the world's most liberal countries, was the first in the world to authorise physical and legal gender reassignment for adults in 1972.

But last year it began restricting hormone therapy available for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, such as puberty blockers, citing the need for caution following a strong increase in demand.

It also restricted access to mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition.

Finland in 2020 had already restricted hormone treatment for minors.

Making it harder 

Russia adopted new legislation in July 2023 banning "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and "the state registration of a change of gender without an operation".

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly railed against transgender rights in his speeches.

Pakistan's religious judiciary ruled in May that landmark transgender legal protections from 2018 are un-Islamic and therefore void.

An appeal is being sought with the Supreme Court.

Pakistan continues to recognise the existence of a third gender, neither masculine nor feminine, as do India and Nepal.

Restricting gender-affirming treatment, such as puberty blockers for minors, has become a major campaign of US conservatives.

Arkansas in 2021 became the first US state to ban physicians and health workers from offering transition-related treatment to transgender minors. A federal judge in June overturned the ban.

Around 20 states, including Florida and Texas, have passed similar laws.

Anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Hungary has escalated during the rule of Viktor Orban's right-wing government.

In May 2020, the country passed a law making it impossible for transgender people to change their name and gender on their ID documents.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)