Sadie Smith

Professor Warren

SPCH-1321

24 Oct. 2017

Diversity in the Interpreting Profession:

 Racial Makeup:

In an effort to promote more diversity and inclusion within the association, RID has created
a Diversity Council. The council meets quarterly via video conferences and it is led by the
Chair, Su Isakson.
Diversity Council statement:

The Diversity Council assists the RID Board of Directors in promoting diversity and inclusion
within the association, develops recommendations on how to make RIDs membership and
leadership more diverse and inclusive and assists in developing diversity programs and
initiatives. The Diversity Council (DivC) advises the RID Board of Directors to uphold the
Boards desire of ensuring that diversity and inclusion is embodied in all matters of the Board.
(Diversity Council. 2015)

According to a 2015 demographic study that was completed by the Registry of Interpreters
for the Deaf (RID), 87% of the RID members were Euro American/White. While 4.9% were
African American/Black, 1.21% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 1.79% Asian American/
Pacific Islander, and 5.05% were Hispanic/Latino(a).

(Annual Report. 2015 )

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Diversity Statement:

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) understands the necessity of
multicultural awareness and sensitivity. Therefore, as an organization, we are committed
to diversity both within the organization and within the profession of sign language
interpreting.
Our commitment to diversity reflects and stems from our understanding of present and
future needs of both our organization and the profession. We recognize that in order to
provide the best service as the national certifying body among signed and spoken
language interpreters, we must draw from the widest variety of society with regards to
diversity in order to provide support, equality of treatment, and respect among
interpreters within the RID organization.
Therefore, RID defines diversity as differences which are appreciated, sought, and shaped
in the form of the following categories: gender identity or expression, racial identity,
religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, deaf or hard of hearing
status, disability status, age, geographic locale (rural vs. urban), sign language
interpreting experience, certification status and level, and language bases (e.g. those who
are native to or have acquired ASL and English, those who utilize a signed system,
among those using spoken or signed languages) within both the profession of sign
language interpreting and the RID organization.
To that end, we strive for diversity in every area of RID and its Headquarters. We know
that the differences that exist among people represent a 21st century population and
provide for innumerable resources within the sign language interpreting field.
(Who We Are. 2015)
 Gender Structure:

According to Linda K. Stauffer, who studied the attendees at the 1997 Biennial Convention of
the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc, there were many more female interpreters in
attendance than male interpreters.

There were 78.6% female interpreters in attendance compared to 21.4% male interpreters
present.
(A Study of the Demographics of Attendees at the 1997 Biennial Convention of the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. 1997)

Recently, from RIDs 2015 annual report, we can still see how female interpreters (9,389)
continue to outweigh male interpreters (1,500).
(Annual Report. 2015)

Humphrey and Alcorn (1994) suggest that the reason Sign Language interpreting has been
dominated by women is two-fold. First is because women are biologically predisposed to being
able to master the complex task of interpreting. Interpreting requires the ability to multitask
listening, analyzing, and signing simultaneously. The second is that the field of Sign Language
interpreting is viewed, as I suggested earlier, as a helping occupation, which has traditionally
been seen as womens work.
(Brunson, "Sign Language Interpreting: Moving Towards Professionalization.)

Age Demographics:

Upon finding this information regarding the age demographics for interpreters, I was

surprised to find that from 1997-2009 the average age of interpreters hadnt really changed. The
table below states that the majority of interpreters were between 30-39 years old (36.8%) at the
1997 Biennial Convention of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

(A Study of the Demographics of Attendees at the 1997 Biennial Convention of the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. 1997)
 In a 2012 article, Tomina Schwenke, a member of RID, stated data that was taken at the 2009
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf National Conference. From this information we can see that,

The age of participants ranged from 24 to 63. The mean age was 42.79, the median was 42, and
the mode was 39 years..
(Sign Language Interpreters and Burnout. 2012)

The data collected from these studies corresponds to the ages of several interpreters that I
worked with during my internship, as many of the interpreters that I worked with were in their
late 30s to early 40s.

Education Levels:

A degree is not always required, but most employers prefer an applicant who holds a bachelor's
degree with some formal coursework in interpreting.
(Become an Interpreter: Education and Career Roadmap.)

According to Linda K. Stauffers 1997 data, the majority of interpreters (35.8% in fact) had a
B.A., or Bachelor of the Arts, and the B.S., or Bachelor of Science degree.
 The first step to becoming a certified Sign Language Interpreter is taking the written Test of
English Proficiency (TEP). To qualify for the TEP one must have earned at least 30 credit hours
from an accredited college or university, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Upon passing the TEP, one can then take the BEI performance test. In order to take the
performance test one must have earned an associate degree and/or a minimum of 60 credit
hours from an accredited college or university, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher-.
(1.2 Qualifications for a BEI certificate. )

Moral/Ethical:

The interpreting profession stresses the importance of having ethical behavior. Throughout
interpreting programs, students are taught and drilled on ethical scenarios. In fact, when studying
to become an interpreter you must commit to memory the 7 interpreting tenets along with each
sub tenet that goes along with the original 7 interpreting tenets.

Here are the seven Tenets of the Interpreting Profession:

1 Interpreters adhere to standards of confidential communication.

2 Interpreters possess the professional skills and knowledge required for the specific
interpreting situation.
3 Interpreters conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to the specific interpreting
situation.
4 Interpreters demonstrate respect for consumers.
5 Interpreters demonstrate respect for colleagues, interns, and students of the profession.
6 Interpreters maintain ethical business practices.
7 Interpreters engage in professional development.
(Ethics. 2015)

RID welcomes both hearing sign language interpreters and Deaf sign language interpreters.
From RIDs Diversity statement we know that they respect and are committed to diversity.

To that end, we strive for diversity in every area of RID and its Headquarters.
(Who We Are. 2015)

In fact, RID encourages more Deaf interpreters to take their certification exam. In an effort to
provide a better exam to certify Deaf interpreters, RID has been working since March 17, 2016
on a new and improved certification test.
(RID Performance Testing Moratorium Update. 2016)

RID has had a somewhat recent lawsuit regarding discrimination. More specifically this
discrimination stems from the terminology used in the Certified Deaf Interpreter credential.

Lawsuit between RID and Krpan

John Krpan filed a lawsuit against RID in the United States District Court for the Eastern District
of Virginia, alleging that RID violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and
discriminated against him because he is deaf. He alleged two claims in his complaint: (1) that
the NIC exam discriminates against him as a deaf individual, and he should be able to hold the
NIC; and (2) the use of the word Deaf in the Certified Deaf Interpreter credential
discriminates against him because it publicly identifies his disability (deafness). He wants
the Court to issue an injunction holding that: (1) the NIC must be open to deaf individuals like
Mr. Krpan; and (2) RID must change the name of the CDI and also cease enforcing its
requirement that individuals who hold the CDI credential be deaf or hard of hearing. RID
denies that it in any way violated the ADA or discriminated against Mr. Krpan regarding
either the NIC or the CDI. RID filed a motion for summary judgment to dismiss both of Mr.
Krpans claims, and a hearing on this issue was held in November 2015. The Court took the
issue under advisement, and the motion is still pending.
(Update on Legal Matters Involving RID January 29, 2016. 2016)
Sources:

"Become an Interpreter: Education and Career Roadmap.

study.com, http://study.com/become_an_interpreter.html. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Board for Evaluation of Interpreters.1.2 Qualifications for a BEI certificate. hhs.texas.gov.

https://hhs.texas.gov/laws-regulations/handbooks/board-evaluation-interpreters/

chapter-1-bei-general-interpreter-certification-policies-procedures/1-2-qualifications-

requirements-a-bei-certificate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Annual Report.

rid.org, 2015. http://www.rid.org/2015-annual-report/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Diversity Council. rid.org, 2015.

http://www.rid.org/councils-committees-task-forces/councils/diversity-council/. Accessed

20 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Ethics. rid.org, 2015. http://www.rid.org/ethics/code-

of-professional-conduct/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. RID Performance Testing Moratorium Update.

rid.org, 2016. http://www.rid.org/2016/03/rid-performance-testing-moratorium-update/.

Accessed 21 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Update on Legal Matters Involving RID

January 29, 2016. rid.org, 2016. http://www.rid.org/2016/01/update-on-legal-matters-

involving-rid-january-29-2016/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2017.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Who We Are. rid.org, 2015. http://www.rid.org/

about-rid/mission-vision-statements/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2017.

Schwenke, Tomina. Sign Language Interpreters and Burnout, 2012.

digitalcommons.unf.edu. Journal of Interpretation: Vol. 20: Iss. 1, Article 7. http://

digitalcommons.unf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=joi.

Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Stauffer, Linda K. A Study of the Demographics of Attendees at the 1997 Biennial

Convention of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. intrpr.github.io, 1997. https://

intrpr.github.io/library/rid-demographics-of-interpreters-1999.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.