| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5] | Job ads specifying female interpreters Thread poster: philgoddard
|
|---|
| Letter of the law | Sep 6, 2013 |
In the end, this is yet another area where the letter of the law will be followed but the intentions behind it will not.
These types of laws do not exist to actually provide equality (as if such an idealistic concept could even exist in this fractured world). They exist to provide the appearance of equality. This is an important difference that is worth keeping in mind.
| | | | Laura Delia
Italy
Local time: 21:08
Member (2021)
English to Italian
+ ...
| The issue is the "bella presenza" here | Sep 6, 2013 |
In my opinion, the issue here is not the gender, but mainly the "pleasant presence" required.
Since I know the Italian market quite well, I am fairly confident when I say that they don't need an interpreter. They only need a beautiful model who is able to greet customers at the entrance of some expo with her elementary English learnt during high school. The kind of person they want is not an interpreter, doesn't need to be and she most likely hasn't studied for years just to say "W... See more In my opinion, the issue here is not the gender, but mainly the "pleasant presence" required.
Since I know the Italian market quite well, I am fairly confident when I say that they don't need an interpreter. They only need a beautiful model who is able to greet customers at the entrance of some expo with her elementary English learnt during high school. The kind of person they want is not an interpreter, doesn't need to be and she most likely hasn't studied for years just to say "Welcome!" and distribute leaflets. That's all. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of job, but let's call things by their name. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ty Kendall 
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:08
Hebrew to English
Mario Cerutti wrote: Ty Kendall wrote:
After doing a quick bit of googling for "female only interpreter" the front page of results were mostly Japanese and South East Asian, seems it's more of a norm over there, whereas it causes jaws to hit the floor in the West.
I did the same research as yours with Google and I found just a very few adds made by Indian recruiting companies for the same position. So, your conclusion that "it's more the norm over there" (or here in Japan as you seemed to imply) is completely mistaken.
First of all, I would consider googling to meet only the loosest definition of "research", but that's by the by.
I didn't deny that many of the ads were from South East Asian recruitment portals (India and Philippines in particular). However, one has to assume that the "female only" stipulation comes from the client, who is Japanese, not the recruitment portal merely being used to advertise it.
For example: http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2013/6/j/80/4073764.htm?fr=R
(Filipino site / Japanese client).
Oh and BTW, you only have to watch the BBC for 5 minutes to realize that the BBC don't hire the women for their resemblance to Claudia Schiffer - no offence is meant here (and the same can be said of the men, there are no George Clooneys there) - they hire them for their abilities for the most part, e.g. I'm currently watching Louise Minchin on BBC Breakfast - a 44 year old woman of what I would call "middling beauty" (to borrow a Tudor frame of reference), who was no doubt hired because of her degree in Spanish from St.Andrews and experience in South America with the BBC world service, not the extent to which she is able to titillate men.
(I would also add that you can be "fat and unattractive" [your words] and still be presentable).
[Edited at 2013-09-06 08:27 GMT]
| | | | philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Laura Delia wrote:
In my opinion, the issue here is not the gender, but mainly the "pleasant presence" required.
Since I know the Italian market quite well, I am fairly confident when I say that they don't need an interpreter. They only need a beautiful model who is able to greet customers at the entrance of some expo with her elementary English learnt during high school. The kind of person they want is not an interpreter, doesn't need to be and she most likely hasn't studied for years just to say "Welcome!" and distribute leaflets. That's all. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of job, but let's call things by their name.
In fact, the previous ad placed by this company was for a "hostess". That was quite rightly deleted too.
| | |
|
|
|
Phil Hand
China
Local time: 03:08
Chinese to English
| I think there's something wrong with it... | Sep 6, 2013 |
Laura Delia wrote:
They only need a beautiful model who is able to greet customers at the entrance of some expo...There's absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of job...
Personally, I hate that phenomenon. I don't like women being used as decoration in that way, and I don't like talking to the decor.
| | | | Miranda Drew
Italy
Local time: 21:08
Member (2009)
Italian to English
| Italians ignore the law in these cases | Sep 7, 2013 |
I have to put in my two cents here. I have lived in Italy for 16 years and I see that, even though it is actually illegal to advertise for a job stating a gender or a specific age, most companies continue to do so (basically if you're over 28 you can't apply for any job...) and the "bella presenza" is also requested most of the time. Aside from the question of being PC or not, I think the mistake was the mistake of the agency which didn't realize that people in some other countries actually obey... See more I have to put in my two cents here. I have lived in Italy for 16 years and I see that, even though it is actually illegal to advertise for a job stating a gender or a specific age, most companies continue to do so (basically if you're over 28 you can't apply for any job...) and the "bella presenza" is also requested most of the time. Aside from the question of being PC or not, I think the mistake was the mistake of the agency which didn't realize that people in some other countries actually obey laws sometimes.
When I was teaching English, there were some clients who specifically requested female teachers, and I steered clear of them.
End of my rant. ▲ Collapse
| | | | philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | That's fascinating, Miranda | Sep 7, 2013 |
I was wondering whether that was the case. Maybe the Italians are just being open about something that the rest of us sweep under the carpet. Silvio Berlusconi was a case in point - he set back the feminist cause by about fifty years.
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 21:08
French to English
philgoddard wrote:
I was wondering whether that was the case. Maybe the Italians are just being open about something that the rest of us sweep under the carpet. Silvio Berlusconi was a case in point - he set back the feminist cause by about fifty years.
Indeed. There's even a special word for the women - or rather live Barbies - who adorn the sets at the TV channels he owns (can't remember the word now but I remember translating a whole sociological analysis of the phenomenon as it underpinned certain fashion trends in Italy.
| | |
|
|
|
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | There's ANOTHER of these job ads on ProZ today... | Sep 22, 2013 |
And it's by a British company that should know better. It may be a while before ProZ staff take it down, as it's the weekend. If it's still there and you find it offensive, please contact the company and tell them so.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:08
Member (2008)
Italian to English
philgoddard wrote:
And it's by a British company that should know better. It may be a while before ProZ staff take it down, as it's the weekend. If it's still there and you find it offensive, please contact the company and tell them so.
A British company should not only know better; it should know that it is breaking the law.
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Job ads specifying female interpreters | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
