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Article published In:
Journal of Language and Sexuality
Vol. 13:2 (2024) ► pp.227–251

Queer immigrants’ performative identity and cultural marginality in the context of queering ESL education

| University of San Francisco, USA
This qualitative study analyzes three gay Chinese immigrants’ experiences and perspectives regarding English hegemony, internalized oppression, and sexual identity using language ideology, social positioning, and performativity. The findings show that speaking English still determines one’s proximity to American culture, and language ideology affects attitudes towards one’s own culture and language. In particular, the study demonstrates a triple marginalization in which participants are more or less marginalized because their inherited American values clash with their marginality, and at the same time, because of their negative experiences with local gay communities and rejection from their own culture, they feel alienated, displaced, and immobile as a result. Additionally, English learning and interacting with LGBTQ content contribute to their language acquisition, sexual identity transformation, and activism development. Queering ESL education is needed because English learners inherit oppressive English ideologies and show discrimination towards other marginalized groups. As a gateway to American society and cultures, ESL classes present opportunities to raise awareness and challenge hegemonic discourse. Furthermore, ESL classrooms can also be powerful places for queer students whose cultures provide little or no validation of their sexuality to cultivate their cultural competence and affirm their place within society.
Keywords: ESL, language hegemony, intercultural competence, queer theory, language education
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The interaction of language, culture, and sexuality
  • 3.Intersecting theoretical frameworks
    • 3.1Language ideology and identity
    • 3.2Social positioning
    • 3.3Queer theory and performativity
  • 4.Researching English ideology, culture, and sexuality
    • 4.1Participants
    • 4.2Data collection and analysis
  • 5.Findings and discussion
    • 5.1Hegemonic English ideology imposes otherness
    • 5.2Cultural marginality hampers intercultural mobility and competence
    • 5.3Queering ESL education facilitates sexuality transformation and community building
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 12 July 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jls.00037.ren
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