Abstract: Background: Mainstream society has always looked at feminism with contempt. In a patriarchal culture like India, it meets with even more resistance. However, studies have shown that being a feminist impacts female mental health positively. This study examines this claim in a sample of Indian women. The status of feminist identity was assessed using the Feminist Identity Composite scale (FIC) and then correlated to Ryff's Psychological Well-being scores in a sample of Indian women who were 18 and older. The inference was that women who conform to traditional gender roles experience lesser psychological well-being than their non-conforming peers. Through the study, the relationship between identification as a feminist and overall well-being was investigated. The study concludes that feminism has a positive correlation with psychological well-being and impacts a woman's life more than previously assumed but self-identification as a feminist does not have any significant impact on well-being..........
Key words: Feminist identity, Women's mental health, Psychological well-being in India, Feminism in India.
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