The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1189092
FEATURES @Linguist_CIOL DEcEMBEr/JANUArY The Linguist 9 people seeking asylum based on their sexual orientation. All asylum seekers must provide evidence to support their claim, and often the only evidence that LGBTI+ people have is their testimonial, based on their experiences and feelings. The most recent home Office report shows that LGBTI+ asylum seekers come from 49 countries. For many of them, their story is retold as respectfully and accurately as possible through an interpreter. Years of abuse and secrecy can lead LGBTI+ asylum seekers to feel shame and fear about their sexual and gender identity, which can make telling their story very difficult. Bringing a third party, such as an interpreter, into the conversation can make it even more challenging, especially if they have had a bad experience in the past. Although bias should not be brought into an interpreting session, unfortunately we have heard of times when an interpreter has brought their religious or cultural prejudice into a conversation with an LGBTI+ asylum seeker, using derogatory language or treating them unkindly. It is devastating for people who have left their home country because of persecution to come across it again in a place where they thought they would be safe. Persistent fears This was the experience of hassan haddad, an LGBTI+ refugee from Syria, who now interprets between Arabic and English for LGBTI+ asylum seekers as a volunteer. When he first arrived in the UK, he did not understand the asylum process and assumed the interpreter had some authority over his claim. When the interpreter started using street language to describe his situation and swear words to put him down, he became very upset and scared to share his feelings. Of course, this is against professional codes of conduct and steps can be taken to address the unprofessional behaviour of the individual interpreter if it is identified by service providers, but even then it can leave a lasting legacy of mistrust and fear. haddad tells us that when interpreting for LGBTI+ asylum seekers, the key thing is to make sure they feel comfortable. This can be done by giving reassurance that they are not there to judge but rather to help the asylum seeker communicate their story, and that everything said in the session is confidential. Interpreters often come from the country that the asylum seeker has fled, which can cause anxiety and an instinct to hold back. The interpreter can continue to encourage them throughout the conversation, reconfirming that it is safe for them to share and that they will not be judged. Offensive language Micro rainbow, an accommodation provider for LGBTI+ asylum seekers, reminds us that misinterpretation may not always be malicious. LGBTI+ asylum seekers have to go into quite personal details about their lives and experiences as part of their claim, which can make some interpreters uncomfortable. Sometimes they downplay words or do not express the language properly. An example Micro rainbow often hears is when the word 'relationship' is interpreted as 'friendship', completely changing the context of the story. In some cases, the terms that the asylum seekers use to describe themselves will be offensive or insulting, as these are the only words they know. Oram International's guide for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression terminology explains that a Syrian Only 20% of applications were granted on an initial decision for people seeking asylum based on their sexual orientation FINDING SUPPORT Gay refugees at a pride march in Munich (main image); and a workshop with Micro Rainbow for people who have claimed asylum based on their sexual orientation or gender identity © ShUTTErSTOcK