Supporting Trans Interpreters: Building a Practical Toolkit
Includes a Live Web Event on 10/05/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)
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Register
- Non-Member - $60
- Member - $45
This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities.
One day, a colleague who would later become one of my closest friends approached me after an assignment and asked a simple question: “How can I better support you as a trans interpreter?” I wasn’t stunned by her question, but rather by my lack of a prepared response. Since then, I’ve been compiling the tools to respond to anyone asking that question.
In a field that often centers the role of interpreter over the individual who occupies it, how do we balance the impact of our actions on the consumers with the impact on our colleagues? In this interactive workshop, we will explore common challenges during and surrounding assignments that affect trans and gender diverse interpreters. If you aren’t trans but want to know what support to offer, or if you are trans and want ideas of what to ask for, everyone is welcome to come develop a toolkit of actionable steps to respond to those challenges. This workshop is for everyone working, teaching, or studying in the interpreting field.
Max Thompson
Max Thompson (they/them) is a freelance interpreter who lives in rural Washington State and serves Southwest Washington and Oregon. They received an AAS in Sign Language Interpretation from the interpreter training program at Portland Community College in 2018, and became NIC certified in 2024. Currently, they are serving as Member-At-Large 1 for the Oregon Affiliate Chapter of RID. Max hosts many local community events including Terp Talk, a monthly meet-up for interpreters to network, share information, discuss ethics, and find community support. They also host, facilitate, and present at meetings for the PDX Freelance Group. As a young, trans nonbinary person, and as a first-generation college student, Max has the firsthand experience of being an outsider navigating complex systems with limited knowledge and resources. They approach their work and community spaces through a lens of equity, striving to reduce barriers through shared knowledge and clear communication.
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