{"chart":{"title":"People living in countries in which gender marker can be legally changed","subtitle":"Possibility of changing one's gender in official national documents.","citation":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024)","originalChartUrl":"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/people-living-in-countries-in-which-gender-marker-can-be-legally-changed","selection":["World"]},"columns":{"Legal change of gender marker — Not legally possible (population)":{"titleShort":"Not legally possible","titleLong":"Not legally possible","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Not legally possible\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Not legally possible\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354711,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_not_legally_possible_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Not legally possible – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354711.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Varies by region (population)":{"titleShort":"Varies by region","titleLong":"Varies by region","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries where legal change of the gender marker is possible in some parts of the country but not others.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Varies by region\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354719,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_varies_by_region_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Varies by region – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354719.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Legally possible, requirement unknown (population)":{"titleShort":"Legally possible, requirement unknown","titleLong":"Legally possible, requirement unknown","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354709,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_legally_possible__requirement_unknown_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Legally possible, requirement unknown – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354709.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Surgery and sterilization required (population)":{"titleShort":"Surgery and sterilization required","titleLong":"Surgery and sterilization required","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Surgery and sterilization required\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Surgery and sterilization required\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354715,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_surgery_and_sterilization_required_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Surgery and sterilization required – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354715.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Surgery required (population)":{"titleShort":"Surgery required","titleLong":"Surgery required","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Surgery required\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Surgery required\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354717,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_surgery_required_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Surgery required – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354717.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Diagnosis required (population)":{"titleShort":"Diagnosis required","titleLong":"Diagnosis required","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Diagnosis required\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Diagnosis required\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354707,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_diagnosis_required_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Diagnosis required – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354707.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Court order required (population)":{"titleShort":"Court order required","titleLong":"Court order required","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Court order required\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Court order required\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354705,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_court_order_required_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Court order required – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354705.metadata.json"},"Legal change of gender marker — Self-declaration is enough (population)":{"titleShort":"Self-declaration is enough","titleLong":"Self-declaration is enough","descriptionShort":"Total population of countries classified as \"Self-declaration is enough\" on the indicator on legal change of gender marker.","descriptionKey":"- This data comes from the LGBTI National Policy Dataset, compiled by Kristopher Velasco at Princeton University. It tracks the adoption, scope, and enforcement of 27 LGBTI-related policies across 195 countries, with annual data starting in 1991.\n- The dataset counts policies established by binding legal instruments — statutes, constitutional provisions, decrees and regulations with the force of law, and binding court rulings. Where no law governs a policy, a written rule that does can count too, such as a health-authority guideline, a blood service's donor questionnaire or a religious ruling. Bills, ministerial statements and non-binding declarations are not counted.","descriptionProcessing":"From the original dataset, we combined the gender-marker-change proportion (the legal direction) with the recorded legal-pathway requirement to produce a single categorical indicator. When legal change of the gender marker is fully in effect, we classify countries by their procedural requirement (\"Self-declaration is enough\", \"Court order required\", \"Diagnosis required\", \"Surgery required\", \"Surgery and sterilization required\", or \"Legally possible, requirement unknown\" when the requirement is not recorded). Otherwise the country is classified as \"Varies by region\" (legal change is only partially in effect across subnational jurisdictions) or \"Not legally possible\" (no legal procedure exists). We then summed the populations of countries classified as \"Self-declaration is enough\" within each region. We calculate regional totals from the country data, using [our region definitions](https://ourworldindata.org/world-region-map-definitions), the [World Bank's income group classification](https://ourworldindata.org/world-bank-income-groups-explained), and, for population totals, our [consolidated population data](https://ourworldindata.org/population-sources).","shortUnit":"","unit":"people","timespan":"1991-2025","type":"Integer","owidVariableId":1354713,"shortName":"gender_marker_change_self_declaration_is_enough_pop","lastUpdated":"2026-07-15","nextUpdate":"2027-07-15","citationShort":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data","citationLong":"Velasco (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Self-declaration is enough – Velasco” [dataset]. Velasco, “LGBTI National Policy Dataset 3.0”; Various sources, “Population” [original data].","fullMetadata":"https://api.ourworldindata.org/v1/indicators/1354713.metadata.json"}},"dateDownloaded":"2026-10-31"}