Transgender rights

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Transgender or trans (including nonbinary) people, as well as gender-non-conforming (GNC) people (including crossdressers/transvestites and drag performers), have very different rights and recognitions in different countries across Sahar, ranging from being fully protected or even venerated, to criminalized and highly discriminated against. Some parallels may be confusing due to gender systems that to not match those of other countries, such as the cultural and legal recognition of third genders (or fourth, or fifth...). This article gives an overview of their legal status and societal tolerance.

Laws that affect trans people include those relating to medical, social, or legal transition, such as the ability to get sexual reassignment surgery, marry an opposite-gender (but "same-sex") partner, or change one's legal name or gender marker on identification documents. There may also be laws prohibiting discrimination in employment and housing or other sectors, or ones that prevent (intentionally or accidentally) transgender individuals from voting or working in certain professions. Laws affecting both transgender and GNC people would include things like gender-based dress codes, limitations on areas of employment, etc.

Note that transgender rights may or may not differ from the rights of gay and bisexual people, depending in part on that country or society's legal gender system.

Countries by transgender rights

This list is divided into two categories based on the overall situation for transgender residents or visitors: Safe or Dangerous.

In "Safe" states, transgender people are typically not at risk of physical violence or significant discrimination that could lose to loss of housing or employment. They may go so far as to provide publicly-insured medical transition, and are more likely than "dangerous" states to allow legal sex changes and have anti-discrimination legislation.

"Dangerous" countries are those where there are strongly discriminatory laws which criminalize gender-non-conformance at some level, do not protect against hate crimes, or may use homophobic laws against same-sex activity to prosecute transgender people. This category should include states where there are legal protections for transgender people but where transphobic violence is nonetheless prevalent.

If a country is dangerous for only some transgender subgroups (e.g. only for trans women), or for tourists but not residents (or vice-versa), it should still be listed under the Dangerous section.

Safe states

Baredina

Lower Ekuosia

The four-gender system recognized in Lower Ekuosia (Nevira, the Povan Union, and Tabiqa) and Barradiwa enshrines the legality and social respect for two genders which are roughly analagous to trans men and trans women. These groups are legally recognized, marked on official identification, and generally do not require any legal protections, since they are intrinsically accepted by society at large. Increasing numbers of immigrants with different cultural backgrounds may incite the development of laws specifically protecting these populations.

Access to and support for medical transition is less standardized across the region. As these countries typically have privatized health care systems, costs associated with medical transition are often not covered through public insurance, and costs can be prohibitive, although there is partial coverage in Nevira and Tabiqa. However, in most areas — especially more rural areas with less contact with other cultures — medical transition is not even sought out particularly often, as social transition is considered sufficient.

Despite the strong acceptance of these two specific transgender groups, some areas in the region are less welcoming of gender non-conformity that strays from the traditional gender roles and presentations, and especially with 'fifth gender' or nonbinary groups. This is especially true across most of Tabiqa. However, these individuals are at least typically not in danger of physical violence or severe discrimination, and some areas are notably friendly towards them.

Miraria

North Miraria

As there is no legal gender/sex in Achiyitqana, there is no need to change one's legal gender marker (it doesn't exist). There is also limited to no cultural gender system and as such, gender non-conformity is a meaningless concept, as is discrimination based on it. Nonetheless, people who experience physical dysphoria are recognized as in need of some form of assistance, and some medical procedures are covered by the public health system if licensed physicians or psychologists can affirm the probable beneficiary nature of the procedures for the individual in question.

Dangerous states

Most countries which are dangerous for LGB people are also dangerous for transgender individuals, as these states typically do not allow legal sex changes and thus consider heterosexual transgender people to be (cisgender) homosexuals, and persecute them under the same laws. (There may be exceptions; for instance, a state might consider gender transition an acceptable 'cure' for homosexuality.)

Countries which are typically not homophobic may nevertheless be considerably transphobic.

See also