Emily Howlett: BSL Interpreters aren’t for me, they’re for you (BSL)

Did you know, there are people out there who can just decide on the spur of the moment to go and see a film at the cinema, or a show at the theatre, or book an escape room without contacting the hosts for an in-depth analysis of what exactly happens inside?

Did you know, there are people out there who can just arrange a meeting with loads of other people, and the meeting can happen online or in person, sometimes even the same day?

Did you know, these people are called ‘the hearing’, and they have one simple power. No, it isn’t the fact they can hear. It’s the fact that they simply don’t realise they are at a disadvantage, so they behave as if they aren’t. And this is what disadvantages us, the deaf people.

When they book a BSL interpreter, the hearing people usually like to think they’re doing it for us. That we need the interpreter in order to communicate with anyone. Which, well, isn’t true. We can communicate perfectly well; it’s just that they are BSL-impaired and can’t understand it. Bless them.

If you shift your perspective of working with a BSL interpreter (or, indeed, most access considerations) away from being something the deaf person ‘needs’ to something that the hearing community rely on, it’s much closer to the truth of the matter. And also allows for much more equitable thinking. The deaf person is no longer the problem, the outsider, or the thing to find pitiful (or worse; inspiring).

I do think there’s been a huge shift recently in terms of mainstream individuals and companies realising that the onus is on them to provide BSL interpretation, rather than on their deaf customers, staff or audiences. There are often times when I am offered work, and in the same initial conversation I am offered the presence of a BSL interpreter – this never used to happen. I would have to raise the subject myself, which was often met with surprise and, “Well, who’s going to pay for that?”

So, there is a shift. Which is great. But (of course there’s a but) … I have been keeping track of my work so far this year, and it is a 50/50 split (almost exactly) between the number of times an interpreter is sourced, and the number of times one isn’t. I never accept work where I would require a BSL interpreter, but it hasn’t been agreed. However, I have often accepted work and then arrived to be told, “We couldn’t find an interpreter.” Or, “We only managed to book one, and they wouldn’t work without a co-worker.” Well, of course they wouldn’t! They’re not machines (or at least, not yet).

I’m fully aware of how difficult it can be to find BSL interpreters, because there are so few of them. And nobody wants to end up scraping the translation barrel and providing deaf people with sub-par support (e.g. unqualified interpreters, people who ‘know some BSL from school’ or those who have been rejected by agencies on account of poor conduct or low skill levels). But equally, we can’t keep losing the deaf input into mainstream spaces because people simply don’t understand how to book interpreters, and how far in advance that needs to be done.

BSL interpreters are busy people. Some are not full-time interpreters, some have families, some have other commitments – again, I repeat, they are not robots. Sometimes an interpreter will have a regular commitment, which can’t be sacked off just because Colin from Accounts (yes) didn’t sign a contract in time and now we’ve got 24 hours to find someone to interpret the whole of Les Miserables.

I am tired of getting the emails or texts. The ones a week before the event, saying, “We still haven’t found anyone, can you ask your networks?”. Or the ones an hour before the event saying, “We didn’t manage to book anyone, do you want to come anyway and do what you can?”. No. No, I don’t. I want to come and do my best, actually.

I understand it’s hard on both sides. I know we badly need more qualified BSL interpreters out there. And I know that sometimes things happen last minute, and it’s nobody’s fault. Sometimes it’s unavoidable; there just isn’t anyone available, truly.

But often it’s entirely avoidable. Through planning, preparation and communication. Through educating yourself about how and where to book interpreters, and making sure the finances are in place to do so. By familiarising yourself with the NUBSLI website, amongst other things. By being proactive, and realising that actually this isn’t a last-minute difficulty thrown up by a selfish deaf person.

It’s a necessity for you.