Negotiating Intersecting Identities in a Muslim-Majority Educational Context: A Narrative Case Study of a Filipino Transwoman EFL Teacher in Thailand

Abstract

Research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher identity has increasingly recognized the importance of intersecting social identities, yet limited attention has been given to how transgender teachers negotiate their identities within religiously regulated educational contexts. This qualitative study uses narrative inquiry to examine the intersecting identity negotiation of one Filipino transwoman EFL teacher working in a kindergarten school in a Muslim-majority community in Thailand. Data were drawn primarily from a semi-structured narrative interview and analyzed using Stake’s (1995) case study analytical framework to identify themes within her individual and contextually situated experience. The findings reveal four interconnected aspects of identity negotiation. First, the participant constructed a strong professional identity, viewing herself as an effective teacher whose gender identity did not prevent her from fulfilling professional responsibilities. Second, her linguistic and cultural identity as a Filipino English teacher, including her perceived accent and cultural background, shaped her professional positioning and interactions within the school. Third, her relational identity as a caring and mother-like figure contributed to her sense of acceptance and belonging. Finally, she strategically adapted her gender expression to prevailing religious and institutional expectations, including wearing clothing associated with males at school out of respect for religious norms. These adaptations facilitated her acceptance but reflected pragmatic accommodation rather than full institutional acceptance of transgender identities. Overall, the findings suggest that the participant exercised agency by negotiating intersecting identities within existing institutional boundaries. The study provides a contextualized account of how religious norms and intersecting identities shape the professional experiences of a transgender EFL teacher.