Thelma & Louise Women and Femininity

As soon as Thelma and Louise are free from their regular, daily lives of waitressing and housewife-ing, they are—in Louise's words—finally free to express themselves. What does that mean? It means they feel free to reclaim the freedoms that have been denied them. They take revenge on the men that have hurt them, and they start putting themselves and their friendship first.

Thelma and Louise explores what it means to be a woman in the modern American world, and it highlights the fact that our society might not be as progressive as so many of us like to think.

Questions About Women and Femininity

1. How do Thelma and Louise challenge and reject traditional roles for women? How does their society receive them when they do this?
2. What stereotypes are thrust on Thelma and Louise throughout the film? How do they respond?
3. What is femininity? How was this concept formed? How has our society created and reinforced this idea?
4. What challenges do women still face today in America? Name and explore three.

Chew on This

Thelma and Louise essentially become men in this film in order to break out of their traditional female roles.

Thelma and Louise resort to violence in order to challenge their society because they have no other option.