NON-BINARY GENDER REPRESENTATION IN ARABIC SUBTITLES ON NETFLIX

Abstract

This article investigates the representation of non-binary gender identities in Arabic subtitles for the Netflix film Anne+ (featuring the character Lou) and the series One Day at a Time (featuring Syd). This research stems from the linguistic challenges of the highly gendered Arabic language, which lacks a singular gender-neutral pronoun, coupled with global media's role in shaping social perceptions. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach and critical discourse analysis (CDA), the study analyses the use of pronouns and gendered adjectives referring to Lou and Syd in their original dialogue and Arabic subtitle translations. Findings reveal a dominant domestication strategy, where translators frequently use masculine plural pronouns (hum) and gendered adjectives (masculine or feminine) to represent non-binary characters. While this strategy attempts to navigate linguistic limitations, it significantly obscures the characters' non-binary identities and creates inconsistencies. Consequently, such representation potentially reinforces traditional gender dichotomies and diminishes the visibility of diverse identities for Arabic-speaking audiences.