Gender-Fair Audiovisual Translation: First Considerations on How to Address Non-Binary Genders

Abstract

In recent years, non-binary people have appeared in numerous English-language TV series such as Sex Education. While in English the use of singular “they” in reference to non-binary people has become widespread, there is no equivalent in other languages such as German, Italian, and Croatian – languages that express gender in nouns, articles, and verbs. Such differences represent a challenge for translators, because gender fairness can be achieved using different strategies. Audiovisual translation presents further difficulties: e.g., space and time constraints in subtitling and dubbing complicate gender-neutral rewording of actors’ lines.

In this contribution, we build on existing research and analyse the German, Italian and Croatian subtitles and dubbing of selected scenes from English-language TV series, including Sex Education, One Day at a Time and Heartbreak High. While research confirms that misgendering is a widespread phenomenon, there are substantial differences among subtitles and dubbing, and translators’ solutions suggest that they often lack awareness of non-binary genders. We propose tentative gender-fair alternatives and discuss their implications, considering elements such as the comprehensibility and acceptability of different strategies. Our study has both practical and theoretical implications, underscoring the need for gender-fair and community-informed practices as integral to both professional ethics and translation quality.