Digital Feminism in Indian Literature: Instagram Poets and the Changing Voice of Indian Women Writers

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital platforms in India has brought about a profound transformation in the landscape of women’s literary expression. This research investigates how Instagram and other social media platforms have enabled Indian women writers to redefine poetic traditions and amplify feminist discourse through the emergence of “Instapoetry.” By bypassing traditional publishing barriers, poets such as Rupi Kaur, Nikita Gill, and Aranya Johar, along with feminist collectives and activist groups, have democratized literary space, foregrounding issues of trauma, identity, gender-based violence, intersectionality, and mental health. This study adopts a qualitative, interdisciplinary methodology, drawing on textual analysis, digital ethnography, and systematic literature review, to examine the unique aesthetics, participatory culture, and community-building enabled by digital feminism. Findings highlight both the opportunities and tensions of this new literary culture—including the risks of commercialization, performative activism, and exclusion based on class, language, and technological access. Despite these challenges, Instagram poets and digital feminist collectives are reshaping the voice and agency of Indian women writers, catalysing broader movements for gender justice and creative freedom in the contemporary era.

Keywords - Digital Feminism, Instapoetry, Indian Women Writers, Intersectionality, Instagram