Gauri Singh is a 2nd year law student at Durham University, UK. Aryan is a 3rd year law student at Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat.

The mainstream narratives of third world feminism in India do not engage with the narratives of the downtrodden women, who face the suffering at the ground level. While most of the literature documenting “third world feminism” in India have been restricted to the educated class, there is a need to understand the narratives of the extremely marginalized sections of women ranging from the Dalit, Adivasi, Trans, etc. backgrounds. The hardships and the chronicle of these sections will enlighten us about the intersectional notions of third world feminism from a micro perspective. Intersectionality, as a principle was first introduced by Kimberle Crenshaw in her pioneering work “Mapping the Margins.” She furthers the understanding that individuals and their experiences are not homogenous in nature and their distinct backgrounds set them apart. Drawing from the principle of intersectionality, she highlights that the violence and discrimination against women occurs in different contexts. Therefore, it must be noted that oppression, in all circumstances must be understood and overlapping and layered. Intersectional feminism argues the sufferings of women are not the same everywhere. Essentially, intersectional feminism developed as a narrative of black women, however, it can be found in third world countries like India on multitudinous levels. Additionally, women in India suffer from marginalization on fronts supplemental to be a woman. The structural intersectionality is commemorated through oppressive social hierarchies such as caste system, untouchability, religion, gender, etc.

Empirical analysis of rape victims in India provides the understanding that sexual crimes in India occur mostly against women of the lower caste. Moreover, taking the form of patriarchal exploitation, number of sexual crimes committed against Muslim and Dalits exceed those of Hindus. Moreover, individuals holding sexual alignments, different to the mainstream understanding have their own narrative of struggles in India. Transgenders such as Revathi, Laxmi, etc. have tried to portray the struggles that trans women undergo since childhood in India. Moreover, the same is also witnessed in the blanket categories of male or female clothing that have been institutionalized in the Indian Society.

Even though most feminist scholars in India identify the intrinsic elements of the prevalent power mechanics in the society and socio-political life, their critique is largely from a liberal perspective. The inbred polarity and discrimination in the social institutions illuminated by them are devoid of the roots of the struggles of marginalized sections like Adivasis and Dalits. Having attained education in the best institutions and secured resources, their world view doesn't reflect the issues faced by women from marginalized sections, who do not have the access to the basic necessities and face violence at every juncture of life. Lack of education and exposure to feminist movements has limited their awareness of rights and the same has institutionalized the patriarchy for the most marginalized women. Several scholars have managed to depict the truly hardships faced by the Bahujan, Adivasi, Dalit and trans women. For instance, Sunaina Arya, in her Dalit Feminist Theory: A Reader, sweepingly introduces Dalit women into the nucleus of feminist hypothesis. Adopting Dalit women as the genesis, she reexplores the entire feminist narrative in India from a caste-based standpoint.

Though feminist literature in India pinpoints intersectional pressures such as caste, gender and religion, it doesn’t illuminate any contrivance to annihilate them. The narratives of Dalit and Adivasi women has largely only remained in theory and doesn’t reflect any first-hand narrative of the struggles. Therefore, the essential requirement for feminist scholars in India is to cement diverse chronicles and seek to understand the root of the issues. Moreover, the skimpy insertion of sundry narratives is futile unless it is accompanied by a stratagem to obliterate the inherent patriarchal structures in the Indian Society.

Fundamentally, third world feminism has allowed the position of women to be seen from a microscopic point of view and understand the details of their background. Unlike the sole criteria of nationality, feminist narratives are taking into consideration intramural aspects such as religion and caste. In the times ahead, an inclusive understanding of third world feminism must be the genesis of societal and legal change to accommodate the weakest of women and allow to live a life of freedom, liberty and equality.

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Gauri Singh, Aryan