While some attention has been paid recently to LGBT/queer issues in ESL, voices of queer ESL students have rarely been recorded. This article describes a study in which 10 such students were interviewed, and it focuses on the voices of 3 students from the San Francisco Bay Area, because although there are so many lesbians and gays in the area, these interviews contradicted our expectation that the liberal, gayfriendly San Francisco Bay Area would provide a safe and comfortable atmosphere for queer ESL students. The study is set in the context of queer theory, identity theory, and critical pedagogy. We conclude with pedagogical implications for ESL classes and the larger institutions housing them, as well as with implications for the TESOL profession.

This paper advocates closer and more systematic attention to ethical issues which, because of the various cultural and religious backgrounds of ESL students, are particular to the field of ESL. Two broad sets of issues are discussed. The first set, responsibilities of faculty members, can be further subdivided into faculty-student interactions, and includes such topics as confidentiality, advice giving, political discussion, and tutoring. The second set, ethical systems in conflict, focuses on three areas: gift giving, plagiarism and cheating, and interaction with government and other outside institutions. Cautions are given regarding respecting cultural differences, understanding complicating factors such as gender and class, and acknowledging ambiguities in all ethical systems.