Still I Teach: A Critical Autoethnography of Intersectional Identity in English Language Education

Abstract

This critical autoethnography examines how intersecting identities—race, gender expression, linguistic background, and migration—shape professional legitimacy in English language education. Drawing on counter‑storytelling within a Critical Race Theory and intersectionality framework, the study centers the lived experience of a Filipino‑Canadian non‑native English‑speaking teacher (NNEST) and language assessor. Narratives trace early gendered exclusion, the internalization and critique of native‑speakerism, and a shift toward intelligibility‑focused assessment and translanguaging‑informed pedagogy. The analysis demonstrates how legitimacy is negotiated across individual encounters and institutional structures, and how reflective practice transforms deficit framings into asset‑based, identity‑affirming instruction. Findings highlight three implications: (1) redefining legitimacy beyond “nativeness” to emphasize pedagogical competence and lived expertise; (2) positioning identity negotiation and resilience as central to educator development; and (3) using counter‑storytelling to challenge dominant ideologies and inform inclusive assessment. Recommendations address teacher education, mentorship, anti‑bias admissions and hiring, and policies that value multilingualism and protect gender identity and expression.