Un ailleurs à soi and the Translation of Elsewhere

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increase in the participation of the LGBTQIA+ community in cultural productions overall. In literature, this is observed not only in the increase of publications by authors belonging to this community but also in the growing interest of publishers and writing professionals in translating foreign works that represent it. However, this growth does not always correspond to an equal participation of this community in society, nor to a reduction in violence against this group. In many French-speaking countries, even though the rights reserved for the LGBTQIA+ community are legally ensured, the desire for a life elsewhere often emerges as a path to freedom. This article proposes reflections on the translational choices of a novel that represents such desire: Un ailleurs à soi, by Haitian writer Emmelie Prophète. Published in 2018, the novel themes the romantic relationship between two women in Port-au-Prince, and the almost generalized desire of its inhabitants for diaspora. Here, it is shown the role that women’s writing, and feminist translation can play in breaking the silences that surround women loving women in oppressive realities. Considering the growth of works that represent the reality of socio-historically excluded groups, it is believed that translating such a novel and discussing it in the current Brazilian context can contribute to the participation of the LGBTQIA+ community in society, aiding in the increase of visibility and inclusion of the community.