The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the different legal gender registration models which somehow cause a break in the static registration of gender as binary, and recognize gender identities as considerably more diverse as is understood under the auspices of the two categories, namely women and men.

It focuses on the legalistic and bureaucratic aspects of implementing these models in order to provide a clear picture how states can avoid unintended consequences when introducing non-binary gender categories, or, conversely, no longer registering gender for various purposes.

The report provides some stance into how non-binary gender registration models affect the human rights, the well-being and social acceptance of non-binary persons. Yet, in order to obtain further conclusive knowledge regarding this topic, more far-reaching qualitative research is necessary.

Since this report serves as a background study for the development of its own policy regarding non-binary gender registration models by ILGA-Europe, it concentrates on possible developments in member states of the Council of Europe (CoE). Nonetheless, it also discusses examples from other regions in order to determine possible best practices and lessons-learned for the European framework.

See also

News

Joint statement: EU Court of Justice strengthens trans rights by calling for the automatic recognition in birth certificates

ACCEPT, TGEU and ILGA-Europe welcome today’s decision of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)   said that the refusal of an EU Member State […]
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Joint statement: EU Court of Justice Advocate General calls on Hungary to correct trans refugee’s gender marker in national registries

Háttér Society, ILGA-Europe and TGEU welcome an opinion from the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union stating that Hungarian immigration […]
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Joint statement: Trans children and young people in schools deserve safety and understanding

This statement was drafted by IGLYO with input from UK inclusive education experts and Members, and was endorsed by ILGA-Europe and Transgender Europe (TGEU). Returning […]
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Joint statement on Italian Constitutional Court ruling on non-binary & trans persons’ rights

ILGA-Europe and TGEU welcome a judgement of the Italian Constitutional Court finding that non-binary peoples’ rights are protected under the Italian Constitution In a judgment […]
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Blog

What European countries might soon start recognising non-binary people?

Interested in the current state of non-binary rights in Europe? This concise guide covers the most important updates and developments you should be aware of […]
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Joint Statement welcoming CJEU Advocate General on collection of gender binary civil titles

ILGA-Europe, TGEU and Association Mousse welcome the opinion of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union confirming that the French […]
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Joint Statement: European Court confirms requirement for legal gender recognition in Bulgaria despite rejected complaint

TGEU, ILGA-Europe, Bilitis, and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee welcome the European Court of Human Rights’ confirmation of Bulgaria’s obligation to provide for reliable legal gender […]
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European court hears landmark case on trans rights in Hungary

The Court of Justice of the European Union held a significant hearing today concerning legal gender recognition for trans people in Hungary Today, the Court […]
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Joint Statement on the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029

The Strategy includes a clearly intersectional approach that explicitly includes discriminations based on sex and gender and SOGIESC grounds, especially LBTI women. It also contains […]
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EU Court of Justice Advocate General calls for automatic recognition of legal gender recognition in birth certificates

In a significant development regarding the rights of trans people in the European Union, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European […]
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News

European court to hear landmark case regarding discrimination against non-binary people

The Court of Justice of the European Union is to decide on lawsuit over the lack of provision of an option for non-binary persons, which […]
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Blog

A new roadmap for advancing the human rights of trans and non-binary people

A brand new Issue Paper from the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Gender Identity and Expression not only sheds light on the challenges […]
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Report

Intersections: The LGBTI II Survey – Trans and Non-binary Analysis

Disaggregated data, which can look deeply into the lived experiences of marginalised people, is a key demand of LGBTI and other human rights groups. With […]
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Press Release

Romanian transgender man’s landmark case requesting that Romania acknowledges his UK gender recognition referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union

Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, a transgender man with Romanian and British citizenship, has filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit in Romania against Romanian authorities over their refusal to recognize […]
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Blog

For good and bad: The trending impacts on LGBTI human rights in Europe and Central Asia

The most striking finding of ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review 2023 is a stark rise in the ferocity of anti-LGBTI hate and violence reported in Europe and Central Asia. But alongside this worrying trend, there are positive developments in areas such as legal gender recognition, public support, intersex human rights and civil society. Here are the key highlights.
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Blog

Progress in Legal Gender Recognition measures is slow, Council of Europe report says

Depathologisation, family rights and access to legal gender recognition for minors are among the key steps that national governments must take to advance the rights of trans people, according to a new Council of Europe report.
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Blog

Right now, just three European countries recognise non-binary identities, but others are pushing forward

M/F/X/Other:Do you know what non-binary gender markers can be registered today in Europe? To mark International Non-Binary People’s Day, we commend the countries that have introduced the registration of gender markers other than male or female, who using no gender markers at all in their official documentation, and those who are working to adapt their systems to recognise non-binary identities in the near future.
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Podcast

Rainbow Family Rights in Europe – Part 5: The Rights of Trans Parents and their Children

In March 2021, Transgender Europe (TGEU) published the report, “Stuck on the swing: experiences of trans parents with freedom of movement in the EU”, in […]
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News

Hungarian Constitutional Court has annulled new rules prohibiting legal gender recognition

The Hungarian Constitutional Court has annulled the provision of the Registry Procedure Act introduced by Section 33, which contained that the new rules prohibiting legal gender recognition shall also be applied to ongoing proceedings. 
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News

International Women’s Day 2021: ILGA-Europe statement on gender

We live in a world that is firmly based on a binary construction of gender, leading to structural oppression and discrimination of women in all […]
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Press Release

LGBTI rights groups welcome judgement finding Romania in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights because of a lack of proper legal framework for legal gender recognition

Romania has been found to be in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights because its authorities present transgender people with an impossible dilemma. 
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Case Law

A.H. and Others v Germany

Recognition of trans parenthood.
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Blog

M/F/X/Other: 6 countries pushing for non-binary registration in Europe

At the end of September, we welcomed a step forward towards non-binary gender recognition in Greece. Do you know what non-binary genders can be registered in Europe? In this blog, we showcase five countries allowing the registration of gender markers other than male or female, or using no gender markers at all in their official documentation.
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Case Law

Y. v France

Recognition of non-binary identities. Submitted jointly by ILGA-Europe, OII Europe, and C.I.A. (Collectif intersexes et allié-e-s).
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News

Joint statement calling on the Parliament of Kazakhstan to protect trans people’s rights to health and legal gender recognition

TGEU, ILGA-Europe, and IGLYO, the three largest networks of LGBTI and trans organisations working in Europe and Central Asia, are calling on the Parliament of Kazakhstan to remove the age limit from their proposed amendment No. 539 to the draft “Code on the health of the people and the healthcare system”.
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News

Response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán regarding to Article 33 of the proposed Omnibus Bill, 2020

In response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán letter dated 5 May 2020, regarding to Article 33 of the proposed Omnibus Bill, 2020.
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News

Letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán: in regards to Article 33 of the proposed Omnibus Bill, 2020

In our continued call for the Hungarian government to stop the attack on legal gender recognition, we have sent a joint letter with OII-Europe and TGEU. In the letter, we list the international calls to #Drop33 of a legislative omnibus bill–which would deny access to legal gender recognition in the country–including from the COE Commissioner for Human Rights and an admonition from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
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Press Release

#Drop33: Europe’s Two Largest Networks of LGBTI and Transgender Organisations call on Hungarian Parliament to Reject Attempts to Ban Legal Gender Recognition

ILGA-Europe and Transgender Europe, the two largest networks of LGBTI and trans organisations in Europe and Central Asia, representing over 800 organisations and groups across the region collectively, are calling on the Hungarian Parliament and the Justice Committee of the Parliament to drop Article 33 of a legislative omnibus bill, which would deny access to legal gender recognition in the country.
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Report

Briefing note: LGBTI-inclusive Gender Equality work

It is a pivotal moment in Europe, and beyond, when it comes to discussions of gender and gender equality. With the European Commission’s next Gender […]
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Case Law

O.H. and G.H. against Germany 

Legal gender recognition
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