EN:
Redfern Jon Barrett (they/them) is author to novels including Proud Pink Sky (Bywater, 2023), a speculative story set in the world’s first LGBTQ+ country. Redfern’s essays and short stories have appeared in publications including The Sun Magazine, Guernica, Strange Horizons, Passages North, PinkNews, Booth, FFO, ParSec, Orca, and Nature Futures. They are nonbinary, have a Ph.D. in Literature, and currently live in Berlin. Read more at redjon.com.
DE:
Redfern Jon Barrett (they/them) ist Autor von Romanen, darunter das demnächst erscheinende »Proud Pink Sky« (Bywater, 2023), eine spekulative Geschichte, die im ersten LGBTQ+-Land der Welt spielt, und »The Giddy Death«, das zu den Finalisten des Bisexual Book Awards gehörte. Redferns Essays und Kurzgeschichten sind in Publikationen wie The Sun Magazine, Guernica, Strange Horizons, Passages North, PinkNews, Booth, FFO, ParSec, Orca und Nature Futures erschienen. Redfern ist nichtbinär, hat einen Doktortitel in Literatur und lebt derzeit in Berlin.
What brought you to Berlin? Love? World politics? Or was it a coincidence?
A combination of all of the above! In 2010 I came over from Wales. Life in Britain was getting harder and I was worried about the political direction of the country. But I'm also queer and polyamorous, and thought it would be easier to find like-minded friends and partners. Finally, I had a friend in Berlin I could come stay with while I found my feet, and if it wasn't for him I may have landed in a different city altogether.
What do you love about Berlin?
That there are always so many places to explore. Each district has its own personality, and its possible to go on day trips to another part of the city. I love urban exploration, and I'm still discovering new places after 12 years here.
What do you miss in Berlin?
Politeness! I've met many wonderful people here, but in my experience Berliners aren't always kind to strangers. I do sometimes miss everyone apologising to each other!
What is your favorite spot in Berlin?
I absolutely love the Bethanien complex, I often go there to write, read, or play badminton. The mix of artists, performers, and musicians in the area is inspiring, and combined with the old-world architecture it can be a truly magical place.
Would you say you are a different person in Berlin? A different translator? And if yes, in what way?
It's hard to say... I arrived here in my mid-twenties and I'm now approaching 40. I'm a different person now, and I certainly apologise less these days! Berlin is also a space where I felt free to explore my gender identity and finally came out as nonbinary. It's certainly not easy, but it's at least possible to live in a way that's true to myself here.
Which existing literary work do you wish you had written?
It will always be Marge Piercy's speculative novel Woman on the Edge of Time. It's a truly inspiring book with a focus on utopia when it comes to gender, class, race, you name it. It was written almost 50 years ago now, and it's still so relevant it could have been written yesterday.
