Caste, Class, and Gender: Understanding Dalit Women’s Triple Marginalization through a Dalit Feminist Standpoint

Abstract

Dalit women occupy one of the most structurally disadvantaged positions in Indian society due to the intersection of caste, class, and gender-based exclusion. This paper examines their triple marginalization through the lens of Dalit Feminist Standpoint Theory, emphasizing the epistemic value of their lived experiences. The study explores how caste hierarchy, economic deprivation, and patriarchal norms combine to produce compounded vulnerabilities that neither mainstream feminism nor Dalit political movements have adequately addressed. Drawing on secondary literature, government data, and theoretical scholarship, the paper analyses how structural violence, social discrimination, and labour exploitation constrain the lives of Dalit women, while also highlighting their agency through collective mobilization, activism, and identity assertion. It further evaluates pathways to empowerment through education, legal rights, representation, and social transformation. The study argues that centering Dalit women’s standpoint is critical for advancing inclusive feminist thought and building a more democratic and equitable society.