Navigating Identity and Agency: English Language Learning as a Pathway to Social Justice Among Transgender Women in Southern Brazil Through a Sociocultural and LGBTQIA+ Lens

Resumo

This study explores the transformative potential of English language learning as a tool for empowerment and social justice among transgender women in southern Brazil. Grounded in Bonny Norton’s (1997, 2013) Identity Theory, the research examines how English proficiency serves as a means of accessing imagined communities—future-oriented social, professional, and academic spaces where transgender women can assert agency and challenge systemic marginalization. Through a mixed-methods approach, including questionnaires with three university-level transgender learners, the study investigates how intersecting factors such as gender identity, social class, and institutional barriers shape their language learning experiences. Findings reveal that inclusive pedagogies, empathetic teaching practices, and culturally responsive curricula are critical to fostering engagement, while exclusionary educational environments hinder participation and self-expression. The participants’ narratives highlight the role of investment in language learning as tied to identity validation, power dynamics, and aspirations for social mobility. Despite limitations in sample size, the study underscores the urgent need for equitable language education policies that address systemic inequities and amplify marginalized voices. By centering transgender women’s experiences, this research advocates for English language teaching (ELT) as a site of resistance and transformation, offering pathways to dignity, opportunity, and justice.