Heterosexual norms
One of the most striking things to me in the movie was how all the characters illustrated a very heteronormative society. Although they were seen as pretty strong women considering the daunting task of robbing banks that they accomplish, almost everything about them was dictated by sexual and gender norms. This to me was very obvious in Cleo and Tisean. Springer discussed Cleo and her homesexuality in depth. She says "aspects Latifah's portrayal of Cleo are played as one-dimensional stereotype of the big, tough bulldagger. Cleo spends most of the film in overalls, often letting them sag around her waist. She loves cars and is a competent mechanic." (Springer 188)
Although the fact that Cleo is present as a lesbian and friends with these pretty typical hetersexual women she is there in a very stereotypical way. She is the epitome of the butch lesbian dressing very masculine, drinking, smoking and being intimidating and violent. There is nothing feminine about her except for her girlfriend who is a very obvious lipstick lesbian, the femme to her butch. Cleo's homosexuality is not seen as something novel, but as something very mediated by lesbian norms. Despite her friendship with the other women they still do not fully accept her lesbianism as seen by the fact that they turn away when she is with her girlfriend.
Tisean is portrayed as extremely feminine. Throughout the film she is wearing very feminine clothing, dresses and skirts when the other women are wearing pants. The way that she walks and moves is in a very typical feminine way always seeming a bit scared and hesitant, not sure of herself at all. Her personality is very meek and she is dependent on her more independent friends for support. She is very emotional and rash, both of which are seen as typical feminine qualities. The fact that she is a mother onl adds to her maternal, feminine portrayal.