Intersections of Oppression: Exploring Caste, Gender and Identity in Yashica Dutt's Coming Out As Dalit

Abstract

This study deploys the lens of intersectionality to unravel the nexus of caste and gender in Dalit women’s lives. Through the analysis of Yashica Dutt’s memoir Coming Out as Dalit (2019), the paper contends that considering the pervasiveness of caste and gender interplay is the sine qua to understand the subjectivities and performativities of Dalit women. In her memoir, Dutt expands on her journey of grappling with her Dalit identity. By interweaving Dalit experiences of discrimination, prejudice, apathy, passing, and shame, she shares her observations on the endemic nature of the caste system in India with a socio-political commentary on significant moments in Dalit history. Unlike other Dalit autobiographical writers who document their experiences on Indian soil, Dutt is a USA-based Indian Dalit diaspora activist throwing her weight behind incorporating Dalit subjugation within a global conversation on marginalization and discrimination. This shift enables Dutt to redefine caste from an inherent, fixed identity to a more fluid and performative concept. Moreover, by bringing to the forefront the intersectionality of caste, gender, and identity, her memoir becomes a powerful medium for unmasking the challenges faced by Dalit women in post-independent India while also revealing their resilience and determination to challenge societal norms and claiming their rightful place in the social fabric. Broadly, this paper aims to examine the more profound understanding of the intricacies of identities and abuse in the modern world by studying the interaction of caste and gender in Dutt's memoir.