Transgender & Gender-Diverse Interpreter Experiences

Author

Atlas Rideout

Date of Award

5-16-2025

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Wink Smith

Second Advisor

Jerrin George

Abstract

Transgender and gender-diverse ASL interpreters face unique challenges in their professional lives that remain largely unexamined in interpreting research. This investigational research project addresses this gap by exploring their individual lived experiences through analysis of both anecdotal and numerical data collected via a survey. Through this survey, participants were invited to share their narratives, highlighting issues such as discrimination, self-disclosure, and gender identity within professional practice. At the time of writing, very minimal research has been done on the experiences of transgender and gender-diverse ASL interpreters. The research that has been completed has either lumped transgender individuals in with the larger LGBTQIA2S+ community, or has not encompassed the experiences of the transgender interpreter as a whole, considering the rich diversity within the transgender community. With the historic and current presence of trans-antagonism against gender-diverse people in our society, it is crucial in this field to consider how the experiences of professional transgender ASL interpreters is influenced by their gender identity—as well as how these factors can impact interpreted scenarios as a whole. This project researched this underrepresented group of interpreters, and identified common experiences amongst participants. These included challenges related to neutrality, role performance, professionalism, and discrimination—all deeply influenced by gender identity. Findings reveal that gender identity often intersects with interpreter decision-making in ways that current frameworks fail to fully address. These insights contribute to the field by highlighting the limitations of existing models, such as role-space theory (Llewellyn-Jones & Lee, 2013), and laying the groundwork for future research and framework revision. Ultimately, this study advocates for more inclusive theoretical and educational approaches that better reflect and support transgender and gender-diverse interpreters.

Recommended Citation

Rideout, Atlas, "Transgender & Gender-Diverse Interpreter Experiences" (2025). Undergraduate University Honors Capstones. 132.
https://ida.gallaudet.edu/honors_capstones/132