Between and Beyond Er|Sie: Trans and Non-Binary Identities in the L2 German Classroom

Abstract

German culture is currently in conflict over Gendern, which Gallagher (2025) defines as “the creative use and modification of the language to be more inclusive of women, queer, and nonbinary people,” and the German language itself has been placed front and center of the debate. What does this mean for us as teachers of German language and culture, for our classrooms, and our language use?

Maybe it is best to start with our understanding of what language is and is not. When encouraging students to memorize vocabulary and conjugate verbs, language may start to feel stable and concrete. However, language is not a static, singularly codified symbolic system performed uniformly by “native” speakers as is sometimes reflected in teaching and reference materials. These materials, as well as the ideologies about language they espouse, defer to a dominant variety of language that has a certain level of prestige, that is, the so-called “Standard” language; in our case, “Hochdeutsch.” However, any German textbook, dictionary, or grammar captures just a still frame of a language in time and just a subset of mostly preferred usages from the vibrant diversity actually in use. The codification and prestige allotted to this particular still frame inevitably lead to the view that there is a “correct” version of German, which is highly influenced by dominant and majority cultural beliefs.

In reality, language is a complex, dynamic system that emerges out of communicative needs, historical processes, and cognitive processing played out in the interactions of millions of speakers—first-language and second-language speakers alike. As humans, we have a relatively narrow timespan in relation to the languages we use, so it is easy to mistakenly understand language as something unchanging. Gendern, then, is but one example of language changing to meet new communicative needs.

As language teachers, it is all too easy to be misled by the prescriptive nature of our profession and the tools we use in the classroom. However, we argue through this thematic issue that this view is not only incorrect but also dangerous, as it propagates false understandings of language and language change and removes authority and agency from our students and from ourselves. In some instances, the German language, as prescriptively portrayed in teaching and learning materials, may mimic what German speakers do with the language to a large degree. In other instances, however, prescriptive language may differ significantly from how the language is used by its speakers in varying cultural and communicative contexts.

Of relevance for this thematic issue are the linguistic changes that have arisen to fulfill the need of speakers whose identities expand and defy the gender binary. Gender is grammatically encoded quite thoroughly in German, acting as a self-reinforcing mechanism. However, grammatical gender-assignment in German, as it relates to social gender categories, is semantically arbitrary (what about Lippenstift is masculine? What about Brücke is feminine?) and is instead assigned via phonological and morphological, as well as some semantic/categorical cues (like all alcohol is masculine in German except for beer; Köpcke 1982; Köpcke and Zubin 1984; Walter and MacWhinney 2015). It is worth pointing out that while we use the term “grammatical gender” to categorize nouns in German, the “gender” categories are in actuality just a form of noun-class. The linguistic term Genus simply means “type” or “kind”; as noted above, nouns in German are grouped into types or classes based primarily on formal properties, not inherent gendered attributes (see Preseau 2025, regarding how some German-as-a-foreign-language textbooks are beginning to use the terminology of noun-class).

However, there is an overlap between grammatical gender and socially constructed gender categories of masculine and feminine that does come into play in German when we talk about people and their occupations. Speakers of German have traditionally been forced to select from binary options like sie/er and Lehrerin/Lehrer. Recent linguistic innovations such as neopronouns (e.g., xier, dey) and gender-inclusive re-formulations (e.g., Lehrer*in, Studierende) have been the topic of intense debate, with one major strand of argumentation focused on whether such innovations are compatible with German grammar (with grammar being defined narrowly as the prescriptive rules of Standard language). We believe that the contrastive nature of the argument, wherein new linguistic inventions are juxtaposed with codified Standard German, exacerbates the problem of the static view of language. Instead, by deeply engaging with creative language practices used to meet communicative desires—like those used by trans and non-binary speakers to express identities that exist between and beyond the gender binary—teachers, scholars, and students of German can engage with a more accurate view of language and the power structures that seek to maintain authority over it.

Another issue related to the German Standard German is that it promotes a German-centric view of authority in our classrooms. This is not only negative in terms of how German-German is viewed in relation to other standardized German varieties, like Austrian-German, but also negatively affects what agency our own students have as speakers of German to play and create with language to serve their own communicative needs. We are German language teachers, yes, but that does not mean we can or should operate as if we are all living in Germany (or Austria or Switzerland). Whether we are in Mexico, the United States, Canada, China, or Australia, we have our own cultural norms that we must balance and negotiate, as well as the norms we develop in our classrooms alongside our students. If you would address a student by a non-binary personal pronoun in a language other than German outside your classroom, would you not also want to do the same in your classroom? Even if recognition of non-binary pronouns and use with students is not yet widely accepted or familiar in Germany (e.g., Adler and Plewnia 2019; Jäckle 2022; Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung 2021), it does not negate the need for students to have language for representing themselves and the people in their lives.

Our goal in soliciting contributions for this thematic issue was not to provide an overview of gender-inclusive language in Germany or to teach about the political debate over Gendern in the German-speaking world. Rather, we are interested here in how we can conceive of gender inclusivity and gender justice in our L2 classrooms. In other words, we are primarily interested in how students can more authentically represent themselves and the people in their world in German class by taking ownership of the language and manipulating it to fit their needs.

To better understand the state of our profession as it relates to non-binary and trans issues in our own classrooms, we conducted an online survey of German language educators in the spring and summer of 2024. While we did not limit the survey geographically, 99% of the respondents came from North America, where we, the guest editors, also live and teach. The Qualtrics survey contained questions about personal and school demographics, seven Likert-scale agreement questions probing knowledge about German terminology and classroom practices related to non-binary and trans individuals, and four to eight (depending on Likert-scale answers) open-ended questions for elaboration on quantitative responses. While we believe these findings are still informative today, we want to acknowledge that the landscape of education in general—and around this topic specifically—has shifted dramatically since these data were collected, especially in the United States. Since the inauguration of President Trump in January 2025, a slew of new executive orders and policies have been issued targeting the concepts of transness and non-binary identities themselves, as well as educators’ ability to address them (see Jensen 2025, for a brief overview). Undoubtedly, some of our respondents’ answers to questions such as “I feel comfortable discussing and teaching about trans and non-binary issues in my classes” might be quite different if we were to conduct the survey now. Nonetheless, we believe that it is still valuable to investigate where we were as German educators before moving into the articles in this issue, which explore what we might be able to achieve in the future.

The survey received a total of 420 responses. After filtering for incomplete data, the total number of participants used for the analysis was 212. Of these, 120 taught at the K-12 level, 95 at the postsecondary level, 3 in K-12 and postsecondary, and 4 in language schools or “other.” We will focus our analysis on K-12 to postsecondary comparison for two reasons: First, because the numbers of respondents in the other two teaching context subgroups were so small that it would be statistically inappropriate to compare them via quantitative analyses. And second, all the other demographic factors that might be relevant (class size, students per class, etc.) are likely co-linear with the teaching context. Table 1 provides descriptive statistics by K-12 and postsecondary participants.

Taking the averages for each question resulted in scores around 3 (neither agree nor disagree), but by grouping and reanalyzing the data by K-12 versus postsecondary, a clear divide emerges. As shown in Table 2, every quantitative question showed a significant difference, and always in the same direction; postsecondary educators agreed more strongly with the statements than K-12 educators.

The stark difference between K-12 and postsecondary responses to each of these questions reveals a need for more dedicated support and resources directed toward K-12 educators. In some ways, this finding is indicative of the difference between the two jobs themselves. K-12 educators indicated significantly higher teaching loads and students per class, as can be seen in Table 1, which likely strains their time and resources for other activities outside of their teaching duties. In addition, K-12 teachers operate under much more day-to-day administrative scrutiny than postsecondary instructors, and they also maintain close contact with parents. It is therefore likely that legislative, political, and community pressures around the topic of nonbinary and trans issues causes a stronger cooling effect and more hesitancy on the part of K-12 teachers to engage with this topic. The following qualitative analysis provides further explanation for the statistical differences revealed between the two groups.

In addition to the quantitative responses, a total of eight possible qualitative questions were presented to give respondents an opportunity to describe their knowledge and experiences in more detail. The first six qualitative questions were either presented or skipped based on each participant's response to a corresponding quantitative question (e.g., Qualitative Question 4 “Where did you learn about teaching practices to engage with trans or non-binary issues in the L2 German classroom?” was displayed only to participants who responded “neither agree nor disagree,” “somewhat agree,” or “strongly agree” to Quantitative Question 3 “I employ teaching practices that focus specifically on issues related to trans and non-binary identity in my classes”). The final two qualitative questions were presented to everyone. We used an inductive thematic analysis approach to code the responses and identify emergent trends and themes.

A number of trends emerged from the responses to these questions, all of which are addressed within the articles of this thematic issue.

First and foremost, the vast majority of respondents said that their students are the ones prompting them to learn more about this topic. Our students are the ones seeking the language to more accurately express their gender identities, and the gender identities of their family and friends. As one instructor articulated, it is important to make students’ identities communicable in the classroom, “Because gender binary supports patriarchy and because I see a lot of my students struggle with identity issues but feel that their explorations of self are ‘irrelevant’ to a language classroom.” It is also essential to remember that not all the people teaching German are going to be cis-gendered as one respondent wrote, “I needed to know how to identify myself, as a non-binary person, to my students.” If we want German language instruction to be relevant to the lives of our students, our colleagues, and ourselves as human beings, we need to engage with this topic in the classroom.

That being said, not everyone is ready or willing to integrate this material into their courses. In the case of those who are hesitant to discuss these topics in the classroom, two concerns are frequently cited: instructors are fearful due to the lack of political support for such conversations on a local or institutional level and instructors are concerned with accuracy and being authentic and “correct” with the language they teach their students. In a response emblematic of both areas of concern, one K-12 educator wrote, “I would like to know how Germans deal with the gendered-ness of the language. I need resources that are age appropriate for high schoolers. Articles that they can understand. But I also need to know that my district supports this conversation, which I am not sure that it does.” Even teachers who live in relatively progressive areas express fear that more restrictions could be coming. Since we collected these responses in 2024, we have seen that fear manifest into reality under the Trump administration. One possible solution to this problem is to make sure that resources and support are tailored to local circumstances as one respondent advocated saying, “I am not well familiar with the laws, but contentious school board meetings show me that I would not be supported in teaching broadly about non-binary issues. Maybe having more materials or outside support could help me prepare to face the challenges from the community.”

In addition to fears about a lack of local support, many instructors also worry about “getting it right” when it comes to gender-inclusive language. As one respondent describes, “My knowledge is limited because I don't know trans Germans, only trans Americans, and the binary Germans I know use non-binary pronouns in a limited way or present differing options. Much of the information online presents so many options that it is difficult to wade through. It will be easier when Germans land on one preferred option.” While at first glance there appears to be more standard ways of approaching this topic in American English, it can be beneficial for students to understand language as a flexible tool. Instructors also expressed concerns about a lack of first-hand knowledge about the type of language used by German first-language speakers. Information gleaned from social media and the internet, including the work of artist Illi Anna Heger (interviewed by Nichole Neumann 2025), often felt more theoretical, leaving questions about how to fully integrate these materials into the classroom. This is an area where our professional organizations can and should intervene to provide free and easily accessible resources and training.

Instructors interested in learning more about gender neutral or gender inclusive language often turn to social media and other internet sources. There, they primarily find information on German political debates over Gendern and neopronouns. While some basic information is available online, instructors have a keen desire for additional teaching-specific materials and more information about practices within German-speaking countries. One respondent expressed their concerns, articulating, “I know about non-binary pronouns, but I also know that they are not used in Germany, which prompts the question—how can I best teach my students to 1) be able to express themselves in a manner they choose and 2) be understood in a German-speaking country.” We hope that the articles in this special issue provide insights that address both of these concerns. Numerous articles in this issue point to classroom-tested German-language media containing trans*, non-binary, or gender-expansive representation (e.g., see the discussion of Queer Eye in Schaefer et al. 2025). We have intentionally included articles from instructors in a variety of levels and contexts in order to provide resources best suited for different groups of students.

Finally, the good news is that experiences engaging with this topic in the North American classroom are overwhelmingly positive or at the very least neutral. Issues primarily arise from political and parental pressures on teachers, especially at the K-12 level. As one instructor describes, “The biggest problem is the parents, not the students. In K-12, if you don't have clear policies and the support of administration, you could have a huge problem on your hands, if parents disagree with your teaching.” The responses to our question about experiences teaching about these topics showed just how important local context can be, with some instructors indicating that they are barred from teaching such material to others describing how German becomes a safe-haven for their students: “I am lucky to have always been met with respectful interest, insightful, thoughtful questions and an apparent willingness among my students to practice using inclusive language. I have had trans and non-binary students who choose German and choose to be ‘out’ to staff and students.”

The survey results provide a snapshot of the attitudes and beliefs of German language educators at the time this thematic issue was taking shape. Against this backdrop, we cast a wide-ranging call for proposals, seeking to solicit submissions that could address the spectrum of factors that impact trans and non-binary identities in the L2 German classroom, from the discourse around gender-inclusive language to pedagogical recommendations for different teaching contexts. After receiving many excellent submissions, we are pleased to present this substantial thematic issue containing four research articles, seven praxis articles, four forum articles, and five book reviews, with topics ranging from the politics of the body in L2 German textbooks (Gallagher et al., “The politics of the body and Grenzenlos Deutsch: Identities, intersectionality, and inclusivity in the L2 classroom”), to training oral translators to perform gender-just language (Robaey, Decock, & Vranjes, “Gendergerechte Sprache beim Dolmetschen: Eine Interventionsstudie zur Entwicklung der gendergerechten Sprachkompetenz bei fortgeschrittenen DaF-Lernenden”), and from an interview with Illi Anna Heger (Neuman, “Xier and gender-neutral pronouns in DaF classrooms and beyond”) to personal narratives elaborating how non-binary educators must navigate this space for themselves as well as their students (Schoppelrei, “Within the they/sie slash”).

In presenting this thematic issue, we hope to showcase the importance of attending to trans and non-binary issues, be that linguistically, culturally, politically, or personally, in order to strengthen the field of German as a Second Language and German Studies and Language Education more broadly. We hope this issue provides critical information that may be missing from many practitioners’ repertoires in how to address these issues in their own classrooms to promote a more complete picture of German-speaking communities and provide all of our students, as well as colleagues, with the tools to take agency over the way they express their own identities.