Casteism and microaggressions: Dalit lived experiences in the United States

For centuries, Dalits in India have been migrating from rural to urban areas within the country and, recently, even overseas in search of better living conditions. The collective experience of diaspora Dalits demonstrates that, while they may acquire material gains in new locations, the stigma of being ‘untouchables’ continues. Termed ‘a diaspora within a diaspora’, Dalits continue to face various forms of discrimination that marginalizes them further within the South Asian diaspora. Using online interviews, I examine the multiple manifestations of caste discrimination within the Indian diaspora in the United States. The article argues that caste discrimination impacts individuals at a social, professional and individual level, revealing its subtle yet insidious nature. Using the microaggressions theory, this article helps understand how caste-based discrimination works through everyday expressions of bias – whether through dismissive comments, exclusion or microinvalidations. Additionally, with a focus on anti-caste activism and solidarity spaces, the article analyses the coping mechanisms that Dalits employ to navigate and resist caste-based discrimination. Following recent significant legislative developments, such as the inclusion of ‘caste’ as a protected category in the anti-discrimination law of Seattle, this study aims to contribute significant insights to the ongoing advocacy efforts and policy interventions to address caste discrimination in the United States.