Intersectional Study of Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Humanities

Abstract

Intersectionality has emerged as a critical framework within contemporary humanities, critiquing unitary analyses of identity and oppression. Coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, intersectionality emphasizes the overlapping nature of social identities and how they structure unequal power dynamics. In the Indian context, the study of gender and sexuality cannot be separated from caste hierarchies, religious orthodoxy, class divisions, and regional specificities. This paper explores how intersectional analysis enriches humanities discourse by drawing on Indian authors and texts that foreground multiple axes of identity. Works of prominent Indian writers including Bama, Meena Alexander, Mahasweta Devi, and others reveal how gender and sexuality intersect with caste, class, religion, and language politics. Through literary criticism, cultural theory, and contemporary socio-political examples, the study demonstrates the indispensability of intersectionality for inclusive humanities scholarship in India.