Translation State tackles difficult questions about what it means to be a person and how a person can self-determine. At the diplomatic meeting, each group provides a unique perspective on whether Reet should be able to choose to be legally human and what that would mean for him and for others. The non-Radchaai humans, including Reet’s parents, believe that Reet should self-determine because they respect his choices and because they believe that having a narrow definition of “human” is likely to exclude some people, possibly to dangerous effect. The Geck see no issue with Reet’s choosing to be human, especially since there is already a human who is legally Geck. The AIs support Reet’s self-determination because they themselves want to be considered a Significant Species under the Presger Treaty.

On the other hand, Ambassador Seimet does not want Reet to be considered human. Seimet worries that allowing Reet to self-determine could threaten the treaty, and she also believes that allowing him a say in his own personhood would threaten the power of the Radch Empire. The Radch has maintained its hegemonic control over much of the inhabited universe by having strong restrictions on how people can identify and define themselves—for instance, self-understanding through gender is unacceptable—and by limiting the personhood and status of non-Radchaai humans.