Gendered Digital Vulnerabilities: Empirical Challenges Faced by Islamic Female High School Students in Foreign Language Learning in Medan, Indonesia

Abstract

Foreign language learning is increasingly influenced by digital communication, transnational interaction, and the widespread adoption of online learning platforms. However, students do not participate in these digital environments from equal social positions. This study investigates the gendered, religious, and sociotechnical challenges experienced by Islamic female high school students in Medan, Indonesia, during foreign language learning. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected from 186 Muslim female students enrolled in public and private Islamic high schools through open-ended questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. The findings reveal six major themes: exposure to digital harassment and unsafe interactions, Islamophobic and stereotypical assumptions, linguistic anxiety and fear of judgment, cultural conflict and exposure to inappropriate content, digital inequality and access disparities, and the burden of representing Islam during intercultural communication. These findings demonstrate that foreign language learning is shaped not only by linguistic competence but also by gendered vulnerability, religious visibility, and unequal digital infrastructures. The study contributes to gender and educational research by highlighting how Muslim female learners negotiate safety, identity, and participation within global digital learning spaces. The results underscore the need for culturally responsive, gender-sensitive, and safer digital language-learning environments.