Gender socialization: From L1 to L2 languacultures

This study provides a multilayered analysis of one critical variable that recently has come to the fore in scholarly debates in applied linguistics. It takes the vantage point of 281 Asian millennials and examines how and why some challenge the socio-cultural notions of gender outside their immediate languacultures. Using a mixed-method approach, the study adduces quantitative and qualitative data. Our statistical findings show the centrality of family and L1 socialization in developing equitable understanding of gender; it shows cultural variability in L1 socialization and traces its impact on English classroom interactions. Case studies show that female students considerably invest in English learning to pursue gender and social equality. The study draws implications for language socialization theory and classroom pedagogy in higher education contexts.