The 20 Best Countries for Transgender People Who Want to Leave the U.S.
In 2023, state legislatures proposed 566 anti-trans bills in 49 states (all but Delaware), and legislators also introduced at least 31 national anti-trans bills. Eighty-five of those bills were signed into law, revoking rights from transgender individuals in 25 states.
If you’re considering moving your family to a country that’s more welcoming to transgender people, travel journalists Asher & Lyric have created a guide to the best and worst countries for trans rights and ranked the United States in 40th place. Here are their 20 best countries for transgender people.
1. Malta
Despite Malta’s strong Catholic presence, the Mediterranean island is often named tops for LGBTQIA+. Asher & Lyric note that 16-year-olds can apply for legal gender ID change with parental consent. The nation offers worker protections and constitutional protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows no trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Malta
2. Portugal
Portugal has become a popular location for all kinds of people looking to emigrate out of the United States, thanks to its progressive laws for abortion, LGBTQIA+ rights, and drug use. Asher & Lyric say that 18-year-olds can get a legal gender ID change with no requirements, but 16-year-olds need a psych evaluation and parental consent. The nation offers worker protections and constitutional protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Portugal
3. Canada
Canada has long supported LGBTQIA+ refugees fleeing persecution. Gender ID change is legal here without surgery. The nation offers worker protections and constitutional protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Canada
4. Sweden
In 1972, Sweden was the first country to allow transgender people to legally change their sex, but the requirements at that time were brutal. Asher & Lyric say that legislation is in progress to make changing your legal gender easier, but there is increasing restriction there in hormone therapy for minors.
➤ Learn more about moving to Sweden
5. Bolivia
Bolivia got Asher & Lyric’s top score outside of Europe. The Amazonian nation offers worker protections and constitutional protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Bolivia
6. Belgium
In Belgium, Asher & Lyric say that transgender individuals have to complete paperwork attesting to their gender identity. Legal protections besides worker protections are more broad, but the country hasn’t had any trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Belgium
7. Croatia
Like Belgium, Croatia offers worker protections and broad protections and has had zero trans murders during the study period. Changing your gender identity is legal, and hate crimes are prosecuted. The Balkan nation is popular with American emigrants for its weather and lifestyle. There have been zero trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Croatia
8. Denmark
Generally progressive Denmark does require a six-month “reflection period” before changing your gender identity. Hate crimes are prosecuted, and worker protections and broad protections are available. There have been zero trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Denmark
9. Norway
Minors can transition in Norway from the age of 6 with parental consent. Otherwise, worker protections and broad protection are available, hate crimes are prosecuted, and there have been zero trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Norway
10. Greece
You can change your gender identity without surgery in Greece. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .1 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Greece
11. Switzerland
You can change your gender identity without surgery in Switzerland. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It shows .1 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Switzerland
12. France
You can change your gender identity without surgery in France. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to France
13. Finland
Finland just changed its law requiring individuals be sterilized before legally changing their gender, a common past stipulation in Europe. The country’s new center-right government was in favor of the repeal. In addition, the nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Finland
14. Spain
Spain recognizes both transgender and non-binary people without surgery. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .3 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Spain
15. United Kingdom
You can change your gender identity without surgery in the United Kingdom, but you do need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to the UK
16. Peru
You can change your gender identity without surgery in Peru, but you must go before a judge. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows 1.3 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Peru
17. Chile
Asher & Lyric say that since 2019, ID documents can be changed in Chile without surgery. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It prosecutes hate crimes and shows 1.3 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Chile
18. Netherlands
You can change your gender identity without surgery in France. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It shows .2 trans murders per million people from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to the Netherlands
19. Iceland
In Iceland, Asher & Lyric note that minors can change their legal gender ID without parental consent. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It shows zero trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Iceland
20. Ireland
Asher & Lyric note that 16-year-olds can change their legal gender with a court order. The nation offers worker protections and broad protections. It shows zero trans murders from 2008-2022.
➤ Learn more about moving to Ireland
Transgender Rights Around the World for Expats & Immigrants
The ways that different countries treat gender identity is as varied as it is state to state. There are some countries that are considered progressive that may have really invasive laws, like Finland, which just this month overturned the law that required transgender people to be sterilized. On the Expatsi Test, we ask if you’re interested in moving to a country where Gender Self-Determination is legal, because that’s currently the gold standard of rights. You are who you say you are.
➤ Transgender Rights Around the World for Expats & Immigrants
This syndicated article was originally published on Expatsi.
