CASE STUDY: A support guide for caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth.
A Portland Public Schools Case Study.
PROJECT SUMMARY
- Client: SAY Wellness (Portland Public Schools).
- Service: Transcreation Project (inclusive language).
- Documents: PDF guide.
- Disciplines: Education.
- Volume: Spanish’ inclusive language.
The project consisted of the adaptation into Spanish of a support guide, aimed at fathers, mothers and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth, seeking to assist and provide them with the information and tools necessary to support the young person who is a part of their lives and who identifies or may identify as LGBTQ+.
Faced with this need, the first challenge was how to approach the project taking into consideration that, although the use of inclusive language was required, being aimed at adults who are not very familiar with this language, it was necessary to find a balance in order to convey the concepts in a clear and easy to understand manner while respecting the language of the LGBTQ+ community. And, at the same time, we had to ensure that the reading is simple, friendly, dynamic and motivating.
To solve this problem and achieve a balance wherein the reader can easily understand what is being said, we decided that the best alternative was to use two criteria:
-On the one hand, to adapt to the rules imposed by the RAE[1], in terms of linguistic terms (clarifying that, although certain words would be used for a certain gender, each one should use them with the gender that most represents them).
-And, on the other hand, to purposefully highlight those words whose language affirms the LGBTQ+ community.
However, this project involves going beyond the linguistic aspect, since the use of inclusive language forces us to delve deep into social and cultural issues. This led us to face another challenge: to correctly and sensitively convey a reality that is a topic of current debate and that is gaining more and more strength.
The support provided by the entire Idea Translations team, as well as the willingness and collaboration of the Portland Public Schools, were key to the success of the project. In these cases, where unique issues, as part of the current debates, are addressed with an open mind, having diverse opinions is what helps us to build a consensus and find the best alternatives for a fairer society where we all have a place and a voice to convey our own unique reality.
At Idea Translations we firmly believe in diversity and equality, keeping ethics and respect at the forefront. Therefore, this project was a source of great pride for the entire team as it showcases our culture and values as a company.
[1] Real Academia Española [Royal Spanish Academy]