Individuals hide their caste because they feel they will be rejected, says Yashica DuttĬoming Out As Dalit consists of two narratives that come together seamlessly: that of her own life, and meditations on the evolution of the caste movement in India.

“Caste can deeply impact mental health, it can lower your sense of confidence and affect how you see yourself,” Yashica explains. Writing has also helped me greatly when you deal with something like this on paper, it can be effective,” she says.Ĭonversations like the one I had with her for this interview are easier, but speaking about specific incidents requires her to brace herself. Does narrating stories from that difficult period in her life get easier (or less unsettling), now that she has written a book and given several interviews on the subject? “I don’t know if it gets easier. Part of the challenge was revisiting and confronting old memories, which Yashica describes as haunting. It was a challenging task and financially unviable.” I wrote Coming Out As Dalit four times in three years. “I didn’t think I had anything to write about until I began documenting my story. She chuckles about how she had to look up basic books – ‘Book Writing for Dummies’. Writing the book was a daunting task for her, especially because she had never written one before. I am glad I have both audiences,” Yashica says.

It makes them talk, look inward, and observe how society treats different castes differently. “Most people also didn’t realise that there was such a big gap between castes. She says many people weren’t even aware that the practice of hiding one’s caste exists.

Her story, and by extension her book, has helped savarna people understand how caste dynamics play out in society. Perhaps this book shows how we can convincingly put our case forward,” she says. Some sent me letters detailing the same experience in their own lives… Controlling your narrative is a powerful thing. The response she received to her coming-out in India has been almost entirely positive.

Yashica dutt books