Trans Legal Mapping Report
Governments must take important steps to ensure progress in the future. Trans people are urging their governments to urgently invest in better legal protection and recognition. This must focus on those who are even more marginalized by racism, poverty, sexism, ableism, xenophobia and other forms of oppression. Prioritizing human rights education and celebrating diversity benefits everyone. This year, the map shows slow progress after no significant progress was made in 2021. Despite the pandemic, an ongoing attack on human rights, and a devastating war in our region, trans activists and their allies have achieved 23 positive developments. Unfortunately, there have also been setbacks in six areas, with governments phasing out asylum policy, harmful speech/violence and equality without being renewed. The TGEU Trans Rights Map illustrates the legal situation of 49 countries in Europe and 5 Central Asian countries with regard to transspecific legislation. It shows country-specific requirements for legal gender recognition1 as well as existing protections for trans people in the areas of asylum, hate crime and speech, non-discrimination, health and family. 1 Legal gender recognition (LGR) is the official recognition of a person`s gender identity, including gender characteristics and names, in public registries and key documents. International standards require EAA to be timely, transparent, accessible and self-determined. The LGR is fundamental to many trans people living with dignity and respect.
This first edition is a compilation of laws, administrative procedures and processes that determine the possibilities and limitations of trans and gender diverse people around the world to change their gender characteristics and names on official identity documents. It focuses on these two aspects because they are often what transgender and gender-diverse people want to change first in order to access other rights and services in their daily lives. They are also important when it comes to crossing borders and establishing one`s identity in a new country or city – a scenario that is perhaps more common for trans people than for the general population. Still, now is not the time to be complacent. An aggressive, well-funded and well-organized conservative response called upon much-needed community resources to push for a regression of the trans right. The war in Ukraine affects the economy, democracy and human rights in the region and profoundly affects the lives of trans people in the country. TGEU research shows that COVID-19 is pushing poor and homeless trans people and others to the margins of society. The data presented reflects the legal rights of trans people, which are based on consultation with experts in the country (as of 5 May 2022). The Trans Rights Map documents the existing explicit legal protection that governments grant (or deny) trans people. It does not purport to comprehensively depict the complex realities of trans people`s lives.
Recommended citation: Movement Advancement Project. February 2017. Mapping transgender equality in the United States. www.lgbtmap.org/mapping-trans-equality (date of access). This report indicates whether a procedure is fixed or simply not defined in primary law, by a judicial application, in a by-law, in a policy. The distinction between these two elements will be useful for advocates who want either legal reform or a change in policy in these countries. During the pandemic, civil society activists have pointed out the shortcomings of governments and traditional service providers that are not meeting the needs of trans and LGBTI people. With this in mind, we applaud the progress made by trans communities. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has recently experienced both significant progress and painful setbacks. The 2015 Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage freedom was an important step toward legal equality, and since then there have been many successes at the federal, state, and local levels, including increased protection for transgender and gender non-conforming people. Since the ruling, however, more than 200 anti-LGBT laws have also been introduced in 20 states — and a recently leaked draft executive order suggests that the current administration intends to undermine established anti-discrimination protection and open the door to various harms for the LGBT population. In this rapidly changing legal landscape, the Movement Advancement Project maintains LGBT equality maps that track LGBT equality, population, and other data by state.
Maps are updated daily as legislation, policies and regulations change. All tie maps, including high-resolution JPEG versions, can be published. LGBT equality cards allow websites to embed the maps easily and for free. Visit lgbtmap.org/equality-maps to learn more. To understand the current political landscape in states for LGBT people, and transgender people in particular, Mapping Transgender Equality in the United States addresses the legal equality of transgender people across the country. Gender identity includes 25 state laws and policies in five key categories: non-discrimination, LGBT youth laws and policies, health and safety, the ability of transgender people to correct the name and gender marker on identification documents, and adoption and parenting. Published on 12. May 2022 in Legal recognition of gender, Research, Law, Discrimination and human rights, Health and depathologization On the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia 2022, TGEU publishes the latest version of the map of transgender rights in English, Russian and Spanish.
1 Legal gender recognition (USG) is the official recognition of a person`s gender identity, including gender identification and names, in public registers and identity documents. International standards require UPG to be timely, transparent, accessible and self-determined. UPG is extremely important to many trans* people so that they can live with respect and dignity. We thank the 240 national experts who shared their knowledge and expertise with the TGEU. This year`s map shows slow progress compared to 2021, which did not bring significant progress. Despite the pandemic, regular attacks on human rights and the devastating war in our region, trans activists and their allies have made a positive difference in 23 cases. Unfortunately, we have also seen a setback in six areas where governments have failed to expand policies on asylum, speech and violence based on prejudice and equality. However, this is not the time to relax. An aggressive, heavily funded and well-organized conservative movement has usurped community resources and seeks to roll back the realm of trans rights. The war in Ukraine has had an impact on the economy, democracy and human rights in the region and has profoundly affected the lives of trans people in the country.
The TGEU study shows that COVID-19 continues to push poor and homeless trans people to the margins of society. Governments must make significant efforts to make progress in the future. Trans people are calling on their governments to take urgent action to obtain legal protection and recognition.
