Evaluation of Spanish University Policies on Name or Gender Changes
Abstract
The majority of Spanish public universities have protocols for name changes based on gender identity, supported by national regulations. This study analyzes the procedures of the 50 public universities, 43 of which have a common or registral protocol. However, significant differences exist regarding processing time, requirements, access to information, and eligible individuals. Additionally, certain shortcomings have been identified, such as the limited inclusion of non-binary individuals and the poor dissemination of the protocols. While the implementation of these protocols has improved the quality of life for people with non-normative gender identities, further efforts are needed to revise and enhance them in order to ensure truly inclusive and comprehensive procedures that address all gender realities.
Keywords
Name change, Universities, Gender identity, Public policyReferences
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Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Grant numbers PID2022-1385130B-I00
Copyright (c) 2026 Juan E. Nebot-Garcia, Miguel Ángel López-Sáez, Lucas Platero Méndez

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