By Marilisa Dolci
This year’s initiative of the Global Coalition for Language Rights, #GLAD25: Building Spaces that Honor Language Rights, is all about reflecting on language as a powerful means able to overcome barriers and open doors, but that can also marginalise and exclude.
The mission of #GLAD25 is to create environments that value, protect, and uphold language rights, as well as to raise awareness of the critical role language rights play in shaping inclusive and equitable spaces.
As professional interpreters, we know that we don’t simply convey words in different languages. We navigate cultural diversity, identities, power dynamics, and the nuances of language that can either reinforce or challenge exclusionary practices. This is why, as part of #GLAD25, I would like to spark a conversation on a topic I have a research interest in, as a conference interpreting student, and that I consider an important yet often overlooked dimension of our profession: gender sensitivity.
Why is it relevant to interpreting?
According to the Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies, interpreters are required to cope with the different ways in which gender is expressed in different language systems. This means that while in one language gender-marked words may be infrequent, in another language it may be quite challenging to avoid them or find suitable alternatives. But as we all know gender has become a more multifaceted concept, embracing identities that go far beyond the binary categories.
The United Nations states that Interpreters are required to keep up with changes in language, but in doing so they also face challenges that require sensitivity and awareness, among which:
Gendered language and pronouns: Many languages assign gender to nouns and pronouns, which can lead to misrepresentation or exclusion, especially for non-binary or gender-diverse individuals.
Bias in interpretation: Conscious and unconscious biases can affect how gender-related content is conveyed.
Cultural context and sensitivity: Gender norms and expectations vary across cultures, influencing both the source and target languages in interpretation.
As such, the way we interpret gendered language, pronouns, and cultural nuances can make a real difference in making individuals feel heard and respected.
A focus on conference interpreting
Interpreting is a challenging task requiring considerable cognitive effort, so integrating a gender perspective certainly adds yet another level of difficulty. The literature on Interpreting Studies on the topic is still quite scarce, but the research conducted so far does demonstrate the feasibility of adopting a gender-neutral or gender-sensitive approach in interpreting over time through familiarity with the topic, training, and regular practice.
We might tend to think that a gender perspective is mostly relevant to community and public service interpreting, given the more direct involvement and more visible role of interpreters in these settings. But what if among the audience or the speakers at a conference, there are non-binary people? What if the client is particularly attentive to the topics of equality, diversity and inclusion?
As the issue of ‘how to overcome the masculine-feminine binary has come now to the fore’ (Sulis and Gheno, 2022), these are questions worth discussing within the interpreting community. I do hope that this initiative is an opportunity for fellow interpreters to exchange thoughts, experiences, and best practices, and a chance to contribute to a broader movement toward linguistic equity, as well as respect and representation of all identities in language services.
Have you encountered any challenges in providing gender-sensitive interpretation? What strategies or best practices have helped you?
Do you think more informal discussions or formal training are needed?
Is there anything that stops you from addressing gender in your interpreting practice, or do you think this topic is irrelevant?
How can we work together to make interpreting contribute to shaping inclusive and equitable spaces?
References and some resources:
Singy, P. and Guex, P. (2015) ‘Gender’, in F. Pöchhacker (ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies. New York: Routledge, pp. 169-170.
United Nations (no date) Interpretation Service. Available at: https://www.un.org/dgacm/en/content/interpretation-service
Sulis, G. and Gheno, V. (2022) ‘The Debate on Language and Gender in Italy, from the Visibility of Women to Inclusive Language (1980s–2020s)’, The Italianist, 42(1), pp. 153-183. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02614340.2022.2125707
Susam-Saraeva, Ş., Acosta Vicente, C., Carvalho Fonseca, L., García-Caro, O., Martínez-Pagán, B., Montero, F. and Yañez, G. (2023) ‘Roundtable: feminist interpreting (studies) – the story so far’, Translation Studies, 16(1), pp. 134-159. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14781700.2022.2147989
Marilisa Dolci is a translator and conference interpreting student passionate about gender equality, human rights, and language justice. With experience translating for social justice organizations, she is currently researching gender-neutral language in interpreting as part of her Master’s dissertation. Through her #GLAD25 initiative, she seeks to spark dialogue within the interpreting community, encouraging professionals to reflect, exchange experiences, and develop best practices for gender-inclusive communication. She believes interpreters play a crucial role in shaping equitable and inclusive spaces through language.
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