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The Legality of Gender Change

Over a third of countries allow a gender change (to male, female, or another) on documents such as passports. Researchers have only begun to document this fast-changing legal topic.

Riley D. Champine, Ryan Williams, and Irene Berman-Vaporis, NGM Staff. Justus Eisfeld. Sources: Carla LaGata/Carsten Balzer, TvT Project, Transgender Europe; Tamara Adrián, Central Univ. of Venezuela; Andrew Park, UCLA; Kristopher Wells, Univ. of Alberta; Southern Africa Litigation Centre; FtM Phoenix Group; Michael Van Gelderen, UN OHCHR; OutRight Action Intl.

For the full list of sources used to create this map and additional information about the legality of gender change, click here.

This map appears in the January 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine.