‘Difference’ in Practice: Caste, Gender, and Sexuality in the Autonomous Women’s Movement in India

Working Paper By,

This paper examines how caste, gender, and sexuality have been incorporated into the practices and agendas of India’s Autonomous Women’s Movement (AWM). Challenging the narrative that Indian feminism has progressively moved towards recognising and embracing difference, it explores the uneven inclusion of marginalised identities and issues within feminist organising. Drawing on primary and secondary data, the paper argues that these variations are shaped by the nature of autonomous women’s organising and the social backgrounds of movement activists.