The English Language Teaching (ELT, EFL, ESOL) industry is failing the 2SLGBTQIA+ (hereafter referred to as LGBTQ+ for brevity) community.

Despite numerous academic articles and research (for example, and not limited to, Gray, Nelson, Merse, Paiz, Bollas), very little, if any, progress has been made in terms of representation in materials, classrooms or schools.

As far back as 1981, the problem of erasure was already being talked about;

'For a gay teacher – the representative of the British language and way of life as far as the students are concerned – it is thus not a question of sexuality and sexual identity being a “private matter”, which is inappropriate to the teacher’s relationship with the students. S/he is expected to promote in public, both subtly and blatantly, a sexual lifestyle and sexual values which in no way correspond to the reality of her/his life, and which in fact form the basis of her/his own oppression (and self-oppression). The frustrations arising from this constant self-effacement and self-betrayal are obvious.' (Alex Hirst, ‘Gay’s the Word, but Not in EFL’, EFL Gazette, No. 28, Nov/Dec 1981).

At the time of writing, 64 countries/states have legislation effectively banning LGBTQ+ people from existing. However, we exist.

In line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, States are legally required to safeguard the rights of LGBTQ+ people under international human rights law, including safeguarding freedoms of expression.

In the UK, where the author is based, the Equality Act 2010 defines Protected Characteristics, including gender reassignment and sexual orientation. It is unlawful to discriminate against someone because of a protected characteristic. If this is the case, then people with protected characteristics should be represented in materials and classrooms.

LGBTQ+ ELT professionals do not see themselves represented in materials or classrooms, other than as a ‘taboo’.

LGBTQ+ ELT students do not see themselves as worthy of being represented in materials or classrooms, thus leading to isolation, feelings of unworthiness, invisibility and potentially mental health challenges. The effects of Section 28 in the UK is a testament to the consequences of erasure.

Without LGBTQ+ representation in materials, teachers with no lived experience of the community may feel ill-equipped to include the community in their own course materials.

Without LGBTQ+ representation in materials and classrooms, the ELT industry is complicit in upholding prejudice, discrimination and misinformation. It perpetuates the falsehood that LGBTQ+ identities are ‘not normal’, ‘invalid’, and a ‘taboo’.

We call on ELT institutions, associations and colleagues to:

Listen to, and employ, LGBTQ+ voices.

Represent LGBTQ+ identities in publications, materials and social media.

Be transparent and public about supporting the LGBTQ+ community, including plans and steps for the future – silence is unacceptable.

Demonstrate allyship with the LGBTQ+ community.

Consider consequences of erasure.

Swiftly address hate speech in comments on their social media platforms.

Recognise that the LGBTQ+ community is diverse within itself.

Realise that LGBTQ+ identities are not a taboo, and never have been.

We are stronger together.

Sign this open letter and declare your support for a more inclusive and representative ELT industry.