Why discuss gender in language teaching? There are obvious reasons such as the growing interest in global issues-which include women's studies, human rights, and lesbian and gay studies as content-based themes-as well as in learner development and teacher education-which aim to empower students and educators, females and males alike. Using the term gender rather than women's or feminist issues was a conscious choice not only to be inclusive of masculinity and to point out the intersection with issues of sexuality, but also to highlight the recurring themes that appear throughout the articles in this volume: raising awareness of ideology, concepts, and terms; developing instruction that promotes active student participation; and reframing gender within language education in Japan.