The role of the translator was a major component of this class and many times, the identity of the translator can have a significant effect on the translated work. This notion of the identity of the translator inspired the larger theme of my portfolio this semester. I wanted to first explore the facets of my own identity that would surely influence my translations.
The two major parts of my identity to be explored were that of my ethnic heritage, and of my gender identity. I am a 22-year-old half-Indian, half-Caucasian woman. Both of these aspects greatly inform the way the outside world perceives me but more importantly how I perceive myself. The original pieces I have written this semester are a first attempt at furthering exploring these two sides of myself and how they are heavily nuanced in their own ways.
The work Femme that I have chosen for The Waiting Room was the first piece I wrote when trying to grapple with these topics. It also made me realize that there was a kind of hierarchy to my own identities.
“Femme,” being a work about womanhood, was what I first found to be most compelling in my identity and then my ethnicity coming second. Another aspect of “Femme” I found interesting was that its really a piece about the kind of woman I see in myself that perhaps isn’t fully formed yet. A strong, sensual, yet sometimes rigid, and intimidating person that isn’t weighed down my insecurities or fears that I may currently possess.
“Femme” also acts as a kind of commentary on the kind of unwanted attention expressing femininity can garner from men. I intended to add to the existing narrative of women taking back their power and feeling comfortable standing up for themselves regardless of how it may be viewed by others. The femme fatale character has always been one that I have been drawn to and admired for these reasons. It’s an incredible thing to garner power within oneself simply from how you move through the world. I find it even more compelling and interesting to explore how all of the facets of my own identity have informed how other people see me and what the differences are in how those same aspects allow me to draw different conclusions about myself.